The Boundary Commission’s final proposals were published on 10 September and suggest removing villages such as Walkern and Watton-at-Stone from NE Hertfordshire constituency and placing them in Stevenage. The Hertford Rural wards of NE Herts will be placed in Welwyn & Hatfield. In addition, the new constituency will be known as Royston and Letchworth Garden City and includes Cambridgeshire villages Bassingbourn, Meldreth and Melbourn as well as the Mordens.
Commenting, Sir Oliver said “We will have to see if these proposals are implemented, which depend on a parliamentary vote. I would be sad to lose any part of my existing constituency, having been MP for 26 years. I do know the villages in Cambridgeshire well having lived in Royston for 37 years. I have also worked closely with the South Cambridgeshire MPs on issues such as the cycle way between Cambridge and Royston, our shared Rail User Group concerns, employment opportunities for our area and our health services which are in the same NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. I know there are very many friendly links between the villages and the Royston area and, of course, we share the Royston Crow newspaper. I think the name of the new constituency does not really reflect its diverse and rural nature or the fact it spans counties.”