A PROPOSED shake-up to the political map in Berkshire has been released with Bracknell potentially set to lose some areas.
Today, the Boundary Commission for England released its new map of Parliamentary constituencies to be implemented in 2024.
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The Bracknell constituency remains largely untouched by the boundary review. Meanwhile, the Wokingham constituency would be reshaped to include most of Wokingham Borough.
READ MORE: Bracknell and Wokingham constituency boundaries as they are now
In Berkshire overall, most of Reading Borough would be agglomerated into one Reading constituency. A new constituency of Mid Berkshire will cover the majority of the villages in West Berkshire, with the current constituency of Newbury being reformed to cover the town itself, Thatcham and Hungerford.
There would also be a new constituency of Earley and Woodley.
Bracknell constituency
Bracknell would remain mostly unchanged, with the town wards, Crowthorne and Sandhurst all remaining within the Bracknell constituency.
It would lose the Wokingham borough wards of Finchampstead North and Finchampstead South and Wokingham Without to the Wokingham constituency.
The Bracknell Forest ward of Winkfield and Cranbourne – which is currently in the Windsor constituency- would be moved to a reformed Maidenhead constituency.
Meanwhile, the village of Warfield would be divided between Bracknell and Maidenhead.
READ MORE: Bracknell Conservatives celebrate clean sweep in Local Elections 2021
Reacting to the news, James Sunderland, the MP for Bracknell, said: “I am currently digesting the initial proposals from the Boundary Review for 2024. The new boundaries for Berkshire are more radical than anticipated in that the county gets a 9th seat but clearly all proposals are now subject to consultation and review.
“Bracknell is thankfully the least affected of all constituencies – as it becomes increasingly coterminus with Bracknell Forest Council – but I am disappointed at the prospect of losing Finchampstead North, South and Wokingham Without.”
Much of Ascot would remain in the Windsor constituency, with North Ascot being incorporated into the Maidenhead constituency. Adam Afriyie has been the Conservative MP for Windsor since 2005, and Theresa May has served as the Conservative MP for Maidenhead since 1997.
Wokingham constituency
In Wokingham, the proposals will more clearly reflect the map of Wokingham borough. The constituency would lose the three West Berkshire wards of Burghfield, Mortimer, and Sulhamstead to the new Mid Berkshire constituency.
However, it gains the Wokingham borough wards of Finchampstead North and Finchampstead South and Wokingham Without, as well as the northern wards of Hurst, Charvil, Twyford and Wargrave, Remenham and Ruscombe.
The Finchampstead wards and Wokingham Without are currently in the Bracknell constituency.
Sir John Redwood, the Conservative MP for Wokingham since 1987, encouraged residents to engage with the proposals. He said: “These changes are now for consultation. I look forward to hearing the views of my constituents on these suggestions.”
Earley and Woodley constituency
This proposed new constituency would cover Earley, Lower Earley and Woodley – which are currently divided into the Reading East and Wokingham constituencies.
The Wokingham borough wards of Coronation and Sonning, which are both currently in the Maidenhead constituency, would be transferred into the Earley and Woodley constituency in the proposed changes.
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Shinfield North and South, which are currently in the Wokingham constituency, would be incorporated into the new Earley and Woodley constituency as well.
Earley and Woodley would also acquire the Reading Borough areas of Whitley and Whitley Wood.
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