A FRESH public consultation has been launched over a nationwide review of constituency boundaries which will see the Horrabridge, Buckland Monachorum and Yelverton areas separated from Tavistock.

The Boundaries Commission of England published its map on Monday of revised boundaries following last year’s public consultation.

A number of the proposals have been changed after comments from the public, but the proposal to alter the boundary of the Torridge and West Devon constituency remains the same.

This proposal would see Horrabridge, Yelverton and Buckland Monachorum move from the Torridge and West Devon constituency to the South West Devon constituency, which includes Ivybridge.

It is proposed that the Torridge and West Devon constituency be renamed Tavistock and West Devon as part of the review which, if approved by Parliament next year, will come into effect in time for the next general election in 2024.

Val Bolitho, who lives in Milton Combe, one of the villages set to transfer constituencies, objected to the proposal during last year’s public consultation.

‘I am disappointed that Buckland Monachorum is going to be moved from West Devon to South Devon. I always see Tavistock as my local town,’ she said.

‘Of course that won’t change but it would be nice if that were to be recognised by the Boundary Commission. I have nothing in common with Ivybridge.

‘ I was also disappointed to see that I was one of only two people who gave comments to the commission. Surely other people must have had a view on this.’

Both these parliamentary seats are currently held by Conservatives, Torridge and West Devon by Sir Geoffrey Cox and South West Devon by Sir Gary Streeter.

Sir Geoffrey has previously told the Times: ‘The Boundary Commission has been set the task of making the electorates of each constituency approximately equal so that votes have the same value throughout the country.

‘That is an aim I strongly support, but I shall be very sad to lose the wards of Burrator and Buckland Monachorum, wards I have represented for 17 years and which the Commission proposes should be moved into the South West Devon constituency.’

The revised maps were published on Monday this week and can be viewed online at https://www.bcereviews.org.uk with a final chance to submit comments by December 5.The review, which is aimed at roughly aligning the number of people on the electoral roll in each constituency, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543. Following final revisions, these will be submitted to Parliament by 1 July 2023 for approval in time for the changes to be put in place before the next general election.