This report summarises the Boundary Commission for England’s initial proposals for the redrawing of parliamentary constituencies in England.  It recommends the Board to comment as follows:-

1. To support the proposal to transfer Carfax Ward from the Oxford East parliamentary constituency to the Oxford West and Abingdon parliamentary constituency.

2. Not to support the proposed name for the new Oxford constituency and to represent that it should retain its present name of Oxford East.

3. Not to support the proposed name for the new Abingdon and Oxford North constituency and to represent that it should retain its present name of Oxford West and Abingdon.

The Head of Law and Governance submitted a report (previously circulated, now appended) giving the Council’s draft response to the Boundary Commission’s review of electoral boundaries in Oxfordshire.

Resolved to endorse the response to the Boundary Commission which made the following statements:-

(1)   To support the proposal to transfer Carfax Ward from Oxford East constituency into Oxford West and Abingdon constituency;

(2)   Not to support the proposed name for the new “Oxford” constituency, feeling that it should retain the name “Oxford East”; and

(3)   Not to support the proposed name for the new “Abingdon and Oxford North” constituency, feeling that it should retain the name “Oxford West and Abingdon”