The Dumbarton Scottish Parliament constituency could be set for a radical shake-up, that would see some villages near Helensburgh moved to a different seat.
Currently the Dumbarton constituency, which has been served since its inception by Labour’s Jackie Baillie, covers Dumbarton, Alexandria and Helensburgh.
It also includes the smaller villages of Rhu, Garelochhead and Arrochar - and the Rosneath peninsula.
However new proposals revealed last week would move areas west of Helensburgh into an enlarged Argyll and Bute seat, which would stretch as far as Tiree.
Helensburgh itself, as well as nearby Cardross, would form part of a renamed ‘Dumbarton and Helensburgh’ seat.
The seat would continue to include Alexandria, Balloch and Gartocharn, as well as the southern edge of Clydebank as far as the town’s station.
Reacting to the plans, MSP Jackie Baillie said: “The communities of Loch Lomondside and the Rosneath peninsula are intrinsically linked with Helensburgh, Balloch, the Vale of Leven and Dumbarton.
“They share local health services, including the Vale of Leven Hospital, schools and transport links.
“People from these communities work and shop in Helensburgh, Dumbarton and Balloch.
“The travel to work area relates to Glasgow and not north.
“These factors need to be seriously considered.
“It is disappointing that the natural connections between these areas have not been recognised within these proposals.”
The proposed amendments were also discussed at West Dunbartonshire’s corporate services committee last week, where members from both Dumbarton and Clydebank expressed concerns.
Labour leader of the council, Councillor Martin Rooney, said: “Plans for both the Dumbarton constituency and the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency are quite radical.
“We’ve only got until June 17 for people to respond.
“Is the council getting an extension to that?
“I think it’s important that we respond as a council.”
In response Alan Douglas, WDC’s legal officer, said that the local authority was planning to ask for an extension.
The SNP’s Jim McElhill, a Clydebank councillor, added: “It is quite a big issue and I hope the council will come forward with some options.
“My understanding is that if more than 100 objections to a plan then a hearing will be heard.
“In my constituency I think we’ll have more than 100.
“No doubt all the political parties will submit their own, but as individuals we are free to submit our own.”
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