Shake-up revealed for Somerset MPs' boundaries
BBCFinal plans to change the areas represented by MPs in Somerset have been released.
There have been some changes to the proposals to re-draw parliamentary boundaries, after a public consultation earlier this year.
Norton Fitzwarren is to remain in the same constituency as Taunton.
People have the next four weeks to comment on these final plans, which aim to even out the number of voters in each seat.
The previous proposal had seen the village of Norton Fitzwarren included in a new Minehead and Tiverton constituency.
A new Minehead and Tiverton constituency will still be created, straddling the Somerset/Devon border, but now taking in the Upper Culm ward, instead of Norton Fitzwarren.
The current Taunton Deane MP, Conservative Rebecca Pow, had called for the village to stay with the county town. It includes Norton Manor Camp, home of 40 Commando Royal Marines, who have long standing connections with Taunton.
The area covered by Somerset County Council is currently divided into five constituencies and then there's North East Somerset which takes in Radstock and Midsomer Norton.
Those six will become eight, to try and even out the number of voters in each area, across England.
The new seats will be as follows:
- Bridgwater - which will include Bridgwater itself along with Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge
- Frome - which will include Frome itself along with Bruton, Midsomer Norton and Radstock
- Glastonbury and Somerton - which will include both towns along with Castle Cary, Langport, Street and Wincanton
- Taunton - which includes Wellington and now Norton Fitzwarren and Staplegrove
- Tiverton and Minehead - which will see Minehead, Watchet and Williton (along with the Hinkley Point C site) join up with Tiverton over the border in Devon
- Wells and Mendips - which will include Wells along with Axbridge, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and Yatton
- Yeovil - which will include Yeovil itself along with Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster
- North East Somerset - taking in Keynsham and some parts of South Gloucestershire to the west of Bath
