Decision details

The Council gave consideration to a report providing information on the Boundary Commission for Scotland consultation on its revised proposals relating to the 2018 Review of UK Parliament constituencies.  Under the proposals the Argyll and Bute constituency will spread north to incorporate 2 wards within Highland Council including areas such as Fort William, Caol, Kilchoan and Ardnamurchan.  The new constituency will be called Argyll, Bute and Lochaber and will have 77,661 electors.  

Decision:

The Council:

1.     Noted that the revised proposals from the Boundary Commission for Scotland are for the Argyll, Bute and Lochaber county constituency to have:

a)     the 3^rd largest area in Scotland at 9,916km2 – more than twice that of the next largest constituency;

b)     an electorate of 77,661 – only 846 less than the maximum set down in statute of 78,507;

2.     Expressed disappointment that previous local submissions about the boundaries of the proposed constituency have not been heeded;

3.     Agreed to respond to the Boundary Commission expressing our desire to work with them and other stakeholders to identify options for forming a constituency that recognises the challenges involved in representing a range of urban, rural, peninsular and island communities.

Councillor Freeman having moved an amendment which failed to find a seconder required his dissent from the foregoing decision to be recorded in the minute.

(Ref:  Report by Executive Director of Customer Services, dated 30 October 2017, submitted.)