Final report and recommendations - Parliamentary Constituencies 2023
The Boundary Commission for England (BCE) have now concluded the 2023 Review of Parliamentary constituencies and submitted their final report and recommendations.
The review commenced on 5 January 2021 and final reports, and recommendations were published on 28 June 2023.
The constituencies of England have been reviewed to reflect population change. Each constituency must contain no less than 69,724 and no more than 77,062 registered electors (as at the fixed date of 2 March 2020).
Wirral currently has four Parliamentary Constituency areas (they are whole constituency areas): Birkenhead, Wallasey, Wirral West, and Wirral South.
In formulating the initial proposals, the BCE noted that the electorate of the North West of 5,381,549 results in it being entitled to 73 constituencies, a reduction of two. The BCE then considered how this number of constituencies could be split across the region.
The electorate in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, at 244,680, gives the borough a mathematical entitlement to 3.33 constituencies. This means that there cannot be a whole number of constituencies which are wholly contained within the Wirral borough boundary as is the current arrangements.
The BCE have concluded that it is therefore necessary for a constituency to cross between the Wirral and the Cheshire West and Chester unitary authority.
Wirral will retain three Constituency areas:
- Birkenhead Constituency – Electorate 76,271
- Ward Local Authority Electorate
- Bebington Wirral Council 11,993
- Bidston & St James Wirral Council 10,273
- Birkenhead & Tranmere Wirral Council 10,164
- Claughton Wirral Council 11,575
- Oxton Wirral Council 11,140
- Prenton Wirral Council 11,123
- Rock Ferry Wirral Council 10,003
*The Birkenhead constituency will now include the Bebington Ward.
- Wallasey Constituency – Electorate 73,054
- Ward Local Authority Electorate
- Leasowe & Moreton East Wirral Council 11,076
- Liscard Wirral Council 11,350
- Moreton West & Saughall Massie Wirral Council 10,850
- New Brighton Wirral Council 11,454
- Seacombe Wirral Council 10,178
- Upton (part ward only) Wirral Council 6,248
- Wallasey Wirral Council 11,898
*Wallasey constituency will now include the northern half of the Upton Ward. The Upton Ward will be split along the physical boundary of the A5027.
- Wirral West Constituency – Electorate 72,126
- Ward Local Authority Electorate
- Clatterbridge Wirral Council 11,467
- Greasby, Frankby & Irby Wirral Council 11,668
- Heswall Wirral Council 10,981
- Hoylake & Meols Wirral Council 10,723
- Pensby & Thingwall Wirral Council 10,575
- Upton (part ward only) Wirral Council 6,273
- West Kirby & Thurstaston Wirral Council 10,439
*Wirral West constituency will now include the southern half of the Upton Ward and gain the Heswall and Clatterbridge Wards.
The two wards of Bromborough and Eastham will form part of the new Ellesmere Port and Bromborough Constituency.
The Government will now draft an Order containing the recommendations of all four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions: once that draft Order is approved by the Privy Council, the new constituencies will be used for the next General election following that date (for any by-election that may take place beforehand, existing constituencies are used).
The order will be published by 1 November 2023.
For further information visit https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/