People in Kimberley have expressed mixed views on plans which could see them electing a Nottingham MP at the next general election rather than the Broxtowe one. The plans are part of the Boundary Commission's review of all of England's 650 parliamentary constituencies, which is being done to ensure that they reflect the latest changes in population size.
In Nottinghamshire, the Boundary Commission has proposed changes to all of its eleven constituencies. One of aims of the commission was for one of Nottingham's three constituencies to cross over the city boundary in the future.
The commission proposed that this should happen in the Nottingham North constituency, with a plan for this to extend into the Broxtowe areas of Kimberley and Nuthall. The commission says that Conservative Party members including Broxtowe MP Darren Henry suggested a counter-proposal of parts of Beeston being included in the Nottingham South constituency.
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But the Boundary Commission has rejected this plan. The commission said: "While we acknowledge that there may be weak community ties within the Nottingham North and Kimberley constituency, we were particularly persuaded by the arguments made to prevent the alternative of a division of Beeston, as it is a single unified community." This constituency is therefore set to be named Nottingham North and Kimberley.
People in Kimberley have now had their say on the plans, which will also see Eastwood becoming part of Broxtowe rather than its current home of Ashfield. Andrew Clayton-Leake, a 47-year-old Sainsbury's worker, said: "You can see the benefits, but with things like that you probably get put to one side. The further you are away, the more you don't get thought about and we're kind of out in the sticks here in Kimberley.
"I'm at that age where I've got other things that concern me a bit more. But if I thought about it a bit I would say yes, it makes you wonder who is in charge of making these kinds of decisions."
Teresa Davis, a 74-year-old former local councillor, speaking about Broxtowe extending into the current Ashfield area of Eastwood, said: "No, I don't think it's a good idea because it's an entirely different background and history. The people are different in Broxtowe than in North Nottinghamshire.
"We are a mining area, as they were, but not to the same extent. I do feel hard done by because we're nearer the city than Beeston and we get the advantages of some of the finance that is spent on the city.
"Would they have moved Beeston to Clifton? No, I can't see the reasoning."
G.P. Aar, a 59-year-old carer, said: "I haven't given it much though to be honest, anything that's in the way of progress then I'm all for it, if it's not going to hurt people then fine. This is more of a tight-knit community, I wouldn't say it's cut off from Nottingham but it feels more like Kimberley than anything else."
A report has to be made to the House of Commons by next July and the public are now being invited to have their say in the final consultation, which ends on December 5. Nottingham North is currently represented by the Labour MP Alex Norris.
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