Parliamentary boundary review

The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) is an impartial review of all constituencies in England. This is required by parliament to rebalance the number of electors in some constituencies.

The number of constituencies in England had to increase from 533 to 543. The new map of constituencies proposed by the commission therefore has significant changes.

The review has made sure that all parliamentary constituencies will have roughly the same number of electors, within 5% of the same total. This means that each MP will represent between 69,724 and 77,062. The only exception to this will be the two ‘protected’ constituencies for the Isle of Wight.

Changes following the review

The Boundary Commission for England have concluded their review and submitted their final report and recommendations. You can read the report on the Boundary Commission for England website.

The orders which give effect to the boundary changes are due to be made by 1 November 2023. The new constituencies will then take effect at the next UK Parliamentary general election. This election could be called at any time before January 2025.

It has been recommended that North Somerset is split between three constituencies:

  • Weston-super-Mare
  • North Somerset
  • Wells and Mendip Hills

The constituencies of Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset will remain within North Somerset Council. Wells and Mendip Hills constituency will sit within Somerset Council.

Areas which have changed constituency

Areas that were previously in the Weston-super-Mare constituency:

  • Banwell – the whole of Banwell will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Loxton – the whole of Loxton will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Winscombe and Sandford – both the Winscombe polling district ward and Sandford polling district ward will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Blagdon – the whole of Blagdon will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Burrington – the whole of Burrington will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Churchill – the whole of Churchill will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Congresbury – the whole of Congresbury will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Puxton – the whole of Puxton will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency

Areas that were previously in the North Somerset constituency:

  • Kenn – the whole of Kenn will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Kingston Seymour – the whole of Kingston Seymour will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency
  • Yatton – all polling district wards in Yatton (Claverham Ward, Horsecastle Ward, North Ward, South Ward) will now form part of the Wells and Mendip Hills constituency

All other polling districts within North Somerset will remain within either the Weston-super-Mare or the North Somerset constituency.

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Your local authority will not change

If you live in one of the areas which will be in a different constituency at the time of a parliamentary election, your local authority will still be North Somerset Council. The only change is that during parliamentary election you will be voting in a different constituency.

These changes will not affect your local council services, bin collections or schools

The boundary changes only relate to parliamentary constituencies (the area an MP is elected to represent in parliament). Services and council tax in your local area are set by your local authority and this review does not change local authority boundaries.

Changes in voting arrangements

If you usually vote in person, then you will still be going to your usual polling station. If that is unavailable then another suitable venue will be selected within the area.

For postal votes, these will be sent from and returned to the authority that represents your parliamentary constituencies:

  • North Somerset Council for Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset constituencies
  • Somerset Council for Wells and Mendip Hills constituency

If there is a combined election then you will be sent two separate postal packs, to be returned to the relevant authority in the separate envelopes provided.