By Steve from Trinity ward, Wimbledon

The discussion of the proposed boundary changes is not showing the local Labour party in a good light. Don’t they want to get voted in?

Surely the new boundaries mean that the Labour supporters in wards like Trinity and Abbey might stand a fighting chance of getting representation in parliament now they are linked to Mitcham and Colliers Wood.

I would agree the name change is a bit of a hit to take, but not unreasonable as actually more of the proposed constituency is in Mitcham than Wimbledon. Maybe Merton would be a more suitable choice.

The issues raised about accountability are spurious and misplaced. The relationship between MPs and local councils is a two way one.

Particularly in large urban areas like London the MPs are the voice of the people in conflict with local councils as much as they are the voice of councils to central government.

We should be examining this relationship, not the number of MPs a council deals with, particularly as a large number of the most important issues involve more than one borough anyway.

If you believe in any form of democracy a range of voices is preferable, though clearly you also don’t want either councils or MPs having to deal with an unnecessary number of options.

What surprises me about the arguments being raised is that they haven’t actually focussed on some real concerns.

Looking at all the local constituency changes and relating them to council boundaries is revealing, and pinpoints a few obvious anomalies that could be sorted out to improve the final, inevitable, boundary changes.

The new constituencies are mainly either predominantly in one borough or like Wimbledon & New Malden, or Croydon and St Helier split straight down the middle.

Very few, Kingston & Surbiton being an exception are all in one borough. What concerns me are the wards that find themselves as an add on to a constituency otherwise all in one borough. These are the people whose representation will really suffer.

Which brings me to what is the real local issue here. The thing Labour should be worrying about. In the proposed Mitcham constituency the ward of Streatham South is the only one that isn’t in Merton.

It would more logical for it to be added to the 50 / 50 split constituency of Streatham and Tooting.

Similarly in the proposed constituencies Wimbledon Park is tagged onto the otherwise totally Wandsworth borough based constituency of Putney. This would more logically be attached to either Wimbledon & New Malden or replace South Streatham in the Mitcham constituency.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that in the end names are just a convenience, if you live in Trinity or Abbey ward you still have some of the best public transport links in London and can be in the village and the common in no time at all.

Do you agree? Make sure your voice is heard by sending your letter to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk

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