Highland councillors denounce Boundary Commission proposals

The Boundary Commission is tasked with reviewing the UK’s parliament constituencies and is gathering views on its draft plans.

With consultation due to close on December 5 Highland councillors unanimously agreed to fully reject the changes to Highland, which they said rode roughshod over community bonds.

The Boundary Commission has grouped together Highland, Moray and Argyll and Bute to create four proposed UK parliament constituencies.

The proposed Inverness-shire and Wester Ross County constituency would include Inverness, Fort William, Skye and part of Wester Ross.

Nairn, Strathspey and Moray West County constituency would include Badenoch and Strathspey, Nairn and Elgin.

The entire northern half of Highland Council would fall under the proposed Caithness, Sutherland Easter Ross County constituency.

If agreed, the proposals would see four Highland Council wards split apart and MPs straddling different local authorities.

Inverness councillor Alex Graham summed up the mood when he concluded: “This is one for the bin.”

Fellow Inverness councillor Jackie Hendry highlighted the impracticality of the plan.

“If the boundary proposals proceed, we will have four councils wards that will be split. This will lead to a split to communities and confusion.”

She added that councillors would need a detailed map to know which MP to refer local issues to.

While Cllr Hendry hinted that political differences between MPs could hamper local projects, convener Bill Lobban went a little further.

“Not for the first time, we see Highland treated as nothing more than an afterthought for an unrepresentative Boundary Commission,” he said.

“These proposals – which include reducing the number of elected representatives – will massively increase the democratic deficit our remote communities already feel.”

He continued: “Far be it from me to question the impartiality of the Boundary Commission but someone less charitable than I could suggest that this was designed with rather more political ramifications than they’re prepared to accept.”

He called on the council to reject the proposals with whatever means available.

Councillor Patrick Logue sought to remind the council that the Boundary Commission is non-partisan.

Council officers now have the task of summarising councillors’ views in an official response to the Boundary Commission.

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