Wales 2007 (National Assembly Elections)

[Peter]

After some checking on the Wales Boundary Commission, I have come to the conclusion that there will be boundary changes and these should be in time for the 07 Assembly elections. See the Commission Provisional Recommendations (PDF warning) and Final recommendations (PDF) that suggest that changes apply to both Westminster and Cardiff constituencies and that the final report on boundary changes must be made by the end of 2006, indicating it should be implemented for the 2007 elections.

That said, most of the changes in Wales are relatively minor, and 17 constituencies remain totally untouched with a number of relatively minor changes that involve at most 200 electors. The only significant changes are in the Gwynned and West Clwyd area

Remember of course that Wales is retaining all its 40 seats, and these will continue to be the same in Westminster and Cardiff. The thing in Scotland is that they have had their Westminster seat tally reduced to 59 at the last election. After consultation, the Scottish Parliament decided that it did not want to reduce the number of Scottish Parliament constituencies but retain the present 73, thus implementing the Westminster boundary changes in Scotland is impossible.

[Peter]

Council elections not much help; none of the parties run in enough wards.

I know the feeling. Labour have pretty much given up on entire districts/boroughs in parts of Surrey and Sussex.

[Peter]

Had the government chosen to, the new boundaries could have been used for the Parliament election last year.  The final report from the Scotland Boundary Commission was submitted about the same time, and the new boundaries were used in May.

Speculating, the government probably didn't want the Wales boundaries to be out of sync with the English boundaries, while at the same time they wanted to lock in the reduction of seats for Scotland.

I don't believe so. My understanding of this issue is that all boundary changes should enter force in the same election. They did not in Scotland because special dispensation was given by an Act of Parliament to reduce the number of seats in Scotland an election early (because of its independent legislative powers).

Its not uncommon for much of the country to report quite early with its boundary recommendations - many of the Home Counties have been reported for over a year now - but generally all must take effect at one election only.