Map of the UK Parliament constituency of Plymouth, Moor View, before the Boundary Commission's proposed changes
A campaign to oppose plans by the Boundary Commission to chop the Moor View ward out of Plymouth and give it to the MP for Okehampton has been launched in Plymouth.
As part of measures by the Government to reduce the number of MPs the Boundary Commission has recently redrawn the boundaries for Plymouth’s three MPs. Under the proposals that are currently being consulted on, the city’s Moor View ward of Plymouth is being chopped out of Plymouth and given to the new Dartmoor seat that includes Okehampton.
Alison Seabeck, the Member of Parliament for Plymouth Moorview, said: “It is crazy to suggest that the residents of Estover, Mainstone, Thornbury, Leigham and Glenholt have more in common with Okehampton than the rest of Plymouth.
“It surely cannot be right that Plymouth’s iconic buildings and essential services: Derriford Hospital, the Plymouth Herald and Plymouth Airport are to be represented by the MP for Dartmoor. These are as important to Plymouth as Smeaton’s Tower and Devonport Dockyard. They should be represented by a Plymouth MP not someone whose focus will be on rural areas.”
Cllr Mike Wright, one of the two Labour councillors for Moor View ward on Plymouth City Council, said: “This ward not only has Plymouth’s airport, Plymouth’s hospital, the offices of Plymouth’s local paper and Marjons, University College Plymouth, but 10,000 people who regard themselves as living in Plymouth. Attempts by the Boundary Commission to chop us out of Plymouth will be strongly opposed by the people I represent.”
Cllr Alison Casey, who also represents Moor View ward, added: “Residents in Estover, Leigham, Mainstone and Glenholt are being treated as numbers to be reallocated without a single thought of identity or community. We’re part of Plymouth, proud to be part of Plymouth and want to remain part of Plymouth.”
With under 30 days to go until the Boundary Commission closes its consultation residents and businesses across Plymouth are being asked to defend Plymouth’s integrity by telling the Boundary Commission that Moor View should be kept as part of Plymouth.
In a further snub to Plymouth, the Boundary Commission is holding public meetings in Exeter, a city largely unaffected by any boundary changes, and Truro. They are not coming to Plymouth.
At the weekend volunteers delivered over 1,000 leaflets to homes in Moor View warning about the Boundary Commission’s plans to include them in a 600 square mile Dartmoor constituency. In addition to making direct representations to the Boundary Commission, a Facbeook group has been launched this weekend to encourage residents in Plymouth to oppose the Boundary Commission’s attempts to chop Moor View out of Plymouth.
The Boundary Commission’s public consultation on the boundary changes in England closes on December 5.
Check out the Keep Moor View in Plymouth Facebook page.
