South west Hertfordshire's parliamentary constituencies will be transformed by a proposed redrawing of electoral boundaries.

Under plans from the Boundary Commission, people living in South Oxhey could end up voting for Watford's MP, while those living in Abbots Langley and Bedmond will all be moved to the St Albans constituency.

The changes, instigated on the back of a Conservative election manifesto pledge to cut costs, are expected to hit Labour hardest, leading some to accuse the Government of gerrymandering.

The review is being conducted under rules laid down by Parliament which require the number of constituencies across the UK to be reduced from 650 to 600 and the number of electors in each constituency to be brought more in line with each other.

This means the number of constituencies in England must reduce from 533 to 501. There must be no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507 electors in each one.

Watford Labour Party welcomed the proposals for a new constituency made up of Watford Borough wards plus two Oxhey wards to the south of the town centre.

However, the Chair of Watford Labour Party, Mike Jackson has slammed the rules issued to the Commission by the Conservative Government which would reduce the number of MPs by 50 and use criteria based on an out of date electoral register.

Mr Jackson said: “We have long argued that the wards of South Oxhey and Oxhey Hall and Hayling should be included in the Watford constituency and we are pleased that the Commission has agreed with us.

"It makes geographic sense and there are strong community and transport links between the areas.”

“However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the rules are set by the Tory Government in an undemocratic and partisan way.

"The reduction in the number of MPs will make government less accountable and is a bare-faced attempt to make it more difficult for Labour to win a majority given that urban areas will lose the most seats.”

“We are very happy that the Commission should review boundaries given population shifts but this should be done in a fair way, not like this,” he added."

Plans for new constituencies in England and Wales, announced on Tuesday, show Corbyn, George Osborne and Boris Johnson are among high-profile politicians who will have their seats redrawn.

Watford MP Richard Harrington said: “The Boundary Commission is an independent body which has looked at the population of the Watford constituency and those around the country to try and make them all equally sized, which is only fair.

"Now they are seeking information on the historic and local ties between areas and the impact of the changes on those ties. I will be looking closely at the proposals.”

Councillor Stephen Cox, Leader of Three Rivers Labour Group welcomed the Boundary Commission’s Proposal to incorporate the vast majority of the South Oxhey estate into the Watford Constituency saying: “I back these refreshingly sensible proposals which are logical, taking into account and following on as they do from the changes to local election boundaries already in place.”  

PLANNED CHANGES:

In the south of the Watford constituency there have been some modifications to local government ward boundaries around the Oxhey Hall and Hayling ward, the South Oxhey ward, and the Carpenders Park ward.

These new ward boundaries, combined with the fact that the existing Watford borough constituency is – at 81,860 electors – above the upper 5 per cent limit, mean some change to it and to surrounding constituencies is inevitable.

The proposed South West Hertfordshire constituency transfers the
District of Three Rivers ward of South Oxhey to the Watford constituency.

This transfer compensates for the inclusion of the Borough of Dacorum ward of Ashridge in South West Hertfordshire. Although the existing South West Hertfordshire constituency is within 5 per cent of the electoral quota, cahnges have been made to bring neighbouring constituencies within 5 per cent of that quota.

The Watford constituency has also had the divided District of Three Rivers
ward of Gade Valley transferred from it into the proposed Hemel Hempstead
constituency (bringing the latter above the lower 5 per cent limit).

It is also proposed to transfer two other District of Three Rivers wards (the divided Abbots Langley, Bedmond and Leavesden) from the Watford constituency into the proposed St Albans constituency. These areas are currently Lib Dem councillor areas.

These proposals, plus the inclusion of the District of Three Rivers ward of Carpenders Park in the proposed Hertsmere constituency, bring Watford
within 5 per cent of the electoral quota.

The inclusion of the Carpenders Park ward in Hertsmere also brings that constituency within 5 per cent of the electoral quota.