Published: Thursday, 3rd April, 2008 12:00
BOUNDARY DECISION?
By Frank Cassidy
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OUTRAGED residents have forced an inquiry into proposed boundary changes.
Despite only having a few weeks’ notice, there were more than 100 people raised objections and this, along with representations made by the council, may lead to a re-think.
The Scottish Boundary Commission is bound by law to hold an enquiry after the protests that could lead to the proposals being changed.
It had decided that five areas, including East Renfrewshire, with a combined population of 390,820, would be split into seven constituencies.
This would be five county constituencies and two burghs, one of which would be South East Paisley and Barrhead, meaning the town would be joined to Paisley.
As a result, many people feel that the town would lose its identity and they managed to drum up sufficient support to get a local enquiry.
Objectors had to state their reasons for opposing the plans and advised that they should state what they propose instead of the commission’s plans.
Meanwhile, council chiefs have written to the commission to ask for Barrhead not to be removed from the local Scottish Parliamentary constituency in the commission’s current, national review of Holyrood constituencies.
The move came after the full council voted to seek the status-quo arguing that East Renfewshire has benefited from having the same boundaries for the council, Scottish Parliament and Westminster constituencies.
The council’s letter will help trigger a public enquiry into the commission’s proposal which would see Barrhead being transferred into Renfrewshire for Holyrood elections only.
Council leader Councillor Jim Fletcher said: “Several hundred people in Barrhead have written to the commission asking to stay within East Renfrewshire for Holyrood elections.
“Sharing the same boundaries and continuing to do so makes sense and we are asking the commission to make an exception for East Renfrewshire in terms of numbers of electors although I must stress that the proposal affects the Holyrood constituency only.
“There are no proposals whatsoever to have Barrhead removed from East Renfrewshire Council itself and all councillors are agreed that it will remain an integral and valued part of the council area regardless of the eventual outcome of this Scottish parliamentary issue.”
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