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Jo SwinsonLib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire |
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Swinson and Finnie call for Local Inquiry over boundary changes
May 15, 2009 6:42 PM
Jo and Ross Finnie MSP are pushing for a full Local Inquiry into proposals to change the council boundaries between Glasgow and East Dunbartonshire.
Jo and Ross met with residents of Wallace Drive, Wallace Gate and Wallace Place in Bishopbriggs, who are among the 42 households which would be affected by the change. Residents fear that if the boundary is moved to incorporate them into Glasgow, their children may have to move schools, the value of their homes will decline, council tax will increase and they will lose access to services provided by East Dunbartonshire Council.
The Boundary Commission published its provisional proposals this week after consultation with East Dunbartonshire Council and Glasgow City Council. Local residents were disappointed to learn that the Boundary Commission's position has not changed. The Commission states that its proposals consider only the "effect on effective and convenient local government", and not the concerns of the residents themselves. Public consultation will now begin, and the public are invited to submit their contributions by letter or email by 6th August. It will then be decided whether a full Local Inquiry is needed.
Commenting, Jo said:
"The people living in this area have a really strong case against the Boundary Commission's proposals, and are unanimously opposed to them. Ross Finnie and I will press the Boundary Commission to conduct a full Local Inquiry into the matter. Many local people have campaigned very actively already, but these proposals indicate that East Dunbartonshire Council has not pushed hard enough on their behalf. The Council must now launch a robust defence of the residents, and make it clear that it will not accept these plans. I would strongly urge anyone who is concerned by the proposals to email or write to the Boundary Commission to make their views known before the deadline on 6th August."
Commenting Ross Finnie said:
"The Boundary Commission's proposals are a bureaucratic solution that completely ignores the circumstances of the individual families concerned. I will be writing to the Boundary Commission myself to raise my concerns and I would urge all others concerned by the proposals to do the same."
Anyone wishing to submit their views to the Commission should do so by 6th August 2009, by emailing greenacres@scottishboundaries.gov.uk or writing to:
Greenacres Review
Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland
3 Drumsheugh Gardens
Edinburgh
EH3 7QJ
You can also use the online response form by following the link below.
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