Council agrees unanimously to oppose planned Holyrood boundary changes

The Courier last week revealed Boundaries Scotland's revised proposals for future Scottish Parliament elections, also including moving Musselburgh, Wallyford and Whitecraig from their current Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency, as well as taking Tranent and Elphinstone out of the current East Lothian constituency, and grouping them with Portobello and Craigmillar in a constituency named Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent.

READ MORE: East Lothian name at risk at Holyrood as Tranent set for switch under new proposals

A meeting of East Lothian Council this week condemned the proposals, with one Tranent councillor accusing the boundary commission of "throwing their toys out of the pram" after they were forced back to the drawing board by opposition to their initial proposals, which would have moved Prestonpans out of the East Lothian constituency instead.

Councillor Colin McGinn told the meeting: “Tranent and Elphinstone are an integral part of East Lothian and they should remain together as part of an East Lothian constituency, of that I have no doubt.”

Across Scotland, there are 73 Scottish Parliament constituencies.

Three – Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney and Shetland – are protected by legislation and not subject to review. The remaining 70 are reviewed periodically in a bid to ensure that all constituencies and regions are of a similar electoral size.

The original proposal from Boundaries Scotland had been to add Prestonpans into the current Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency and leave the remainder of the county seat with the same East Lothian name.

However, the plan came in for widespread criticism and, following a public hearing in December, it was scrapped.

'People are shocked'

Councillor Fiona Dugdale, Tranent, Wallyford and Macmerry ward member, brought a motion to council asking the leader to write to the commission objecting to the plans to move Musselburgh, Wallyford, Whitecraig, Tranent and Elphinstone into the expanded Edinburgh Eastern seat, and also opposing the renaming of the East Lothian constituency.

She said: “From what I have seen and heard, people are both shocked and disappointed, as am I.

"I believe the redrawing of constituencies to meet the numbers quota must take heed of the history, ties and the sense of belonging within our communities.”

Councillor Lachlan Bruce, Preston Seton Gosford ward, told the meeting: “Something I agree on is the name Lothian Eastern is just a bit dumb, to be honest.

“It seems to make us just a part of the Lothians rather than a place with our own identity and our own communities. It is also a terrible use of the English language.”

Mr Bruce suggested that one option could be to "twin" Midlothian and East Lothian to create three constituencies of a similar size within the two counties.

He said: “They would be on the smaller end of the quotas but it would align us with a similar area at a time when we are seeing growth.

“Midlothian is a lot like us and our communities, much more so than anything to do with the city.”

'Not a good match'

Councillor Norman Hampshire, council leader, agreed with opposing the changes.

He said: “We need to make a challenge here. We did when the first proposal came out trying to put Prestonpans into Musselburgh and Midlothian North with a bit of Edinburgh.

“Now they have taken Tranent out and joined it with a massive bit of Edinburgh. There are 26,000 people in the east Edinburgh seat and 32,000 in the East Lothian part of it.

“The MSP will be dealing with the massive City of Edinburgh Council and East Lothian Council, and it is just not compatible.

"There is a way to do it with Midlothian and East Lothian, and having maybe three MSPs dealing with that area, rather than joining us in with Edinburgh.

"It is not a good match for the people of Musselburgh or Tranent.”

Councillors agreed unanimously to instruct the council leader to write to the commission objecting to the changes and calling for a rethink.