Luton's constituencies face electoral shake-up under proposed new boundary changes

Luton’s parliamentary constituencies face an electoral shake-up under proposed new boundary changes.

Some wards in the town were changed before this year’s May local elections, when Beech Hill, Poets, Vauxhall and Central were introduced.

The Boundary Commission for England had begun its own review, published in June, using the pre-May ward boundaries, according to a report to the borough council’s administration and regulation committee.

Luton would be covered by two constituencies Luton North borough constituency and Luton South and South Bedfordshire county constituency, which now includes Eaton Bray ward from Central Bedfordshire, said the report.

“Barnfield, Beech Hill, Challney, Saints and Stopsley wards are split between the two constituencies.

“The parliamentary boundary review must be conducted between October 1 2023 and January 31 2025 and before the next parliamentary election. A public consultation will take place from October 2 to 31.”

LBC’s democracy manager Debbie Janes said: “After the local review, we wouldn’t have needed to consider this again for five years.

“The priority is make sure the planned changes are in place when the register is published on December 1, so we’re in the strongest position to reflect those should a snap election be called.”

Liberal Democrat Vauxhall councillor Terry Keans said: “There’ll be two wards I know of split (between constituencies). Will there be separate polling stations or a dual purpose one?”

LBC’s electoral services manager Sam Freer replied: “About four wards would be split. Each polling station would represent either Luton North or Luton South.

“There are some instances where it’s only a few streets that are divided. Then it would be two ballot boxes, one for north and one for south for parliamentary elections.

“It’s more complex than before as the boundaries don’t match up. The local government and parliamentary boundaries aren’t within our remit. They’re agreed by Parliament.

“The wards which the boundary commission started with changed halfway through the process, so it was unable to work with the latest ones.

“It’s unfortunate about timing of the local review, which happened in the middle of the parliamentary changes.”

Labour Saints councillor Ghulam Abbas told the committee about 50 houses in his ward are in the Luton South constituency, with the rest in Luton North.

“It’s really confusing for people,” he explained. “I hope there are the same polling stations as for local elections, as that will help them.

“Saints has two polling stations and it could do with three. Barnfield seems to have five, which is quite a lot for such an area.”

Mr Freer added: “Electors will always go to the same polling stations. It will be more complex for us where there might be two ballot boxes, one for Luton North and one for Luton South.

“Polling stations are based on the size of the local area and the distance people need to walk. There are places where we’ve used every venue we can identify.”

Councillors noted the need for the fresh review, with a further report due back to the committee in November after the public consultation.