Summer 2023

LOCAL POLITICS
Boundary Commission Changes
Do you believe that
democracy a good
thing? I do, which is
why it is important
for everyone to
understand that we will have
a new member of parliament
to represent us after the next
General Election in two years’
time. To explain why this is, I
need to describe the impact of
proposed constituency boundary
changes.
The Boundary Commission is
appointed by law to review the
boundaries of the parliamentary
constituencies every eight years
and to make recommendations
for changes to ensure that
each constituency has a
similar number of electors. The
latest review has resulted in
recommendations, which are
Tonbridge
Marden
Tunbridge Wells
Staplehurst
Frittenden
and Sissinghurst
Cranbrook
and Beneden
Maidstone and Malling
Headcorn
Bexhill and Battle
Faversham and Mid Kent
Ashford
Hastings and Rye
“You may be thinking, ‘but I thought we
were part of Tunbridge Wells?’”
due to be approved in July
and come into force at the
next general election. The
constituencies are to have
between 70,000 and 77,000
electors.
Currently Cranbrook,
Benenden, Frittenden
and Sissinghurst are all
in the Maidstone and the
Weald constituency with
a Conservative MP, Helen
Grant. You may be thinking,
‘but I thought we were part of
Tunbridge Wells?’ Confusingly
we are part of Tunbridge
Wells Borough, but not part of
Tunbridge Wells parliamentary
constituency. The Tunbridge
Wells MP is Greg Clark.
The anticipated changes at
the next general election will
mean that we are allocated to a
brand new constituency, to be
called The Weald of Kent.
The Weald of Kent will be a
physically large constituency,
stretching from the Isle of
Oxney in the south, northwards
to Marden and Yalding, and
eastwards to Leeds, Charing and
Chilham, but excluding Ashford
town. It includes large chunks
of the current Maidstone and
Ashford constituencies, but
neither of the two sitting MPs
will be standing as candidates
for the new one. It also includes
a small part of the existing
Faversham constituency.
As there is no sitting member
of parliament, the field is
wide open for a new person
to be elected by us at the next
general election. What sort of
person and with what views
do you believe would be best
to represent such a physically
large and predominantly rural
constituency? The choice is ours
to make.
Bridget Veitch
22 The Cake • Summer 2023