CONTROVERSIAL plans to remove Halstead from the Braintree constituency have been scrapped after opposition from MPs.
The Boundary Commission for England has revised its initial proposals for a constituency boundary change as part of the 2023 Boundary Review.
The initial plans would have created a cross-county constituency which included Haverhill and Halstead.
To compensate for the loss of Halstead, the Chelmsford wards of Writtle, Chelmsford Rural West, Broomfield and the Walthams and Boreham and the Leighs would have been transferred from the Saffron Waldon constituency to Braintree.
However, the move prompted concerns from Halstead Town Council with the Suffolk and Essex towns being represented by separate local authorities.
The Boundary Commission also received opposition from Braintree MP James Cleverly who, according to their report, “stated that the proposed Braintree constituency is vastly different to the existing constituency, with a peculiar shape and few links to the Chelmsford local authority wards that are included".
Mr Cleverly is also said to have “ considered the consequential impacts to both the Braintree and West Suffolk constituencies unnecessarily disruptive".
West Suffolk MP Matt Hancock also opposed the change and “highlighted the lack of ties” between Halstead and Haverhill, “particularly poor public transport links, which it was said are effectively non-existent".
Following the consultation, new plans were drafted by the Boundary Commission, however, these would still impact the Braintree constituency.
Under the new proposals, areas such as the Colnes, Cressing, Stisted and Pebmarsh could join the Witham constituency with Black Notley going the other way and the Sampfords, Felsted and Stebbing also being added from Saffron Walden.
The report added: “Around 100 representations were received on the initially proposed Braintree constituency, almost exclusively in objection.
“Counter-proposals generally proposed a Braintree constituency that would be either unchanged from the existing constituency or have minor changes.
“Our assistant commissioners considered that the proposal put forward by the Liberal Democrats was preferable, as it would allow for a pattern of constituencies across the rest of Essex that more closely reflect the statutory factors, while still allowing the existing Braintree constituency to be mostly retained, unlike the initial proposals.”
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