Don't rip up our communities
Published 13 Jan 2012 09:30
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FIGHT: Councillors Allan Noon, Audrey Doig, Tracie McGee and council candidates Andy Doig and Ken McDonald have vowed to put a stop to boundary change proposals for Renfrewshire
CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to fight proposed electoral boundary changes they fear will rip communities out of Renfrewshire.
Boundary Commission for Scotland (BCS) plans to create a new Renfrewshire South and Largs constituency would see towns and villages including Johnstone, Linwood and Erskine piled in with communities in North Ayrshire.
The campaigners - spearheaded by Kilbarchan based SNP activists - say creating a ward spanning previously unconnected local authority areas would confuse voters and damage community identity.
Although a public consultation on the proposals closed last week (January 4), the group plans to continue lobbying the BCS, and has drafted an alternative plan members believe will better reflect the identity of the Renfrewshire electorate.
The campaigners would prefer to see a new 75,000 population Renfrewshire South and West constituency, joining Renfrewshire towns and villages including Johnstone, Erskine, Linwood and Kilbarchan, with East Renfrewshire's Barrhead, Neilston and Uplawmoor.
BCS chiefs will now consider public responses before reaching a final decision ahead of the next General Election.
This article appeared in The Gazette 12 Jan 12
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