Northumberland MP backs furious residents of Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst parishes after Boundary Commission changes finalised

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) published its final version of the new political map for Northumberland earlier this month after months of consultation.

One of a series of changes will see the parishes of Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst move from their current wards of Rothbury and Shilbottle respectively into a new, enlarged Longhorsley division.

Residents have been angered by the decision, arguing they have far closer ties to Rothbury than Longhorsley or nearby Morpeth.

An alternative proposal was put forward by Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst Parish Council, but their suggestions were not taken up.

The LGBCE has said no further changes will be made – but villagers haven’t given up hope just yet.

Parish council clerk, Garth Rhodes, said: “We objected to what they were proposing.

“What they decided they would do is put both into the Longhorsley ward, and we objected because we felt it was totally inappropriate. We have nothing to do with Longhorsley compared to what we do with Rothbury.

“We’re on the River Coquet, all our activity is centred around Rothbury and Coquetdale. All of our community ties – people commute there for work, the children go to school there.

“Everything you can think of is focused on Rothbury and the Coquet Valley. The counter-proposal was completed rejected out of hand.”

The Boundary Commission aims to keep all council wards to as close as possible in size in terms of the electorate. In a statement issued earlier this month, officials insisted they had listened to all views.

Publishing the recommendations Professor Colin Mellors, Commission chair, said: “We are very grateful to people in Northumberland. We looked at all the views they gave us. They helped us improve our earlier proposals. We believe the new arrangements will deliver electoral fairness while maintaining local ties.”

But Mr Rhodes said the community did not feel listened to.

He continued: “We’re not talking about thousands and thousands of voters – our parish is 215 people. It is small numbers, but it’s really important for these people.

“They feel that their views have been overridden by the commission, who are just interested in the numbers, not in people and communities. It’s not giving any thought to the local people, it’s very important to them.

“They don’t want to be part of Longhorsley, they want to be part of Rothbury, of Coquetdale.

“It’s all just desk work, they don’t know the real situation. They’ve just come up with their proposals, we have put our objections forward and they have been disregarded.”

The area’s MP, Anne Marie Trevelyan, has backed the views of her constituents and pledged to campaign on their behalf.

She said: “These are absolutely reasonable and sensible concerns from the Brinkburn and Hesleyhurst Parish Councils and local constituents; both undeniably look to Rothbury, not Morpeth, in community terms.

“Whilst the independent LGBCE has now closed its two stages of consultation and published its final recommendations, now that I am aware, I’ll be mounting a continuing campaign to the LGBCE for future rounds of boundary reviews.”

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England aims to make sure that councillors represents a similar number of electors, while also creating boundaries that are appropriate, and reflect community ties and identities.