Politicians in Forth Valley have expressed reservations over the proposed boundaries of a new Westminster constituency for the region.
Hillfoots’ towns Menstrie, Tullibody, Alva, Tillicoultry and Dollar, along with Alloa, are currently included in the Ochil and South Perthshire seat which also includes Auchterarder, Crieff and Kinross.
However, under revised proposals put forward by the Boundary Commission for Scotland this seat would be split apart with Menstrie, Tullibody, Alva and Tillicoultry becoming part of a new Clackmannanshire and Forth Valley constituency along with Airth, Torwood, Dunipace and Denny.
It would also include Braco, Blackford and Auchterarder. Dollar would be part of a new Dunfermline and East Ochils seat under the proposals.
The proposed Clackmannanshire and Forth Valley constituency would have the largest electorate in Scotland at 77,046.
The boundary of the adjacent Stirling Westminster constituency remains unchanged.
A public consultation on the proposals will run until Monday, December 5.
Ochil and South Perthshire SNP MP John Nicolson said this week: “I welcome the decision to use the name of our ancient county – Clackmannanshire. It was a proposal I included in my evidence to the Commission.
“In addition, I will be delighted to represent Denny and Stenhousemuir – so ably represented currently by John McNally MP - if the Commission transfers them.
“But I am sad and upset to lose some much-loved areas of Perthshire.”
Mr Nicolson added that he was “deeply disappointed” to see the number of seats for Scotland as a whole cut from 59 to 57.
He said: “Some of the constituency sizes proposed are completely unmanageable – especially in the north of Scotland.
“The Boundary Commission has proposed individual constituencies bigger than some European countries.”
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Conservative Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alexander Stewart said of the proposed new Clackmannanshire and Forth Valley seat: “We do not understand why or how these communities have all been squeezed together into one constituency.
“Many of these communities have very little in common with each other.
“For example, Auchterarder has always been associated with Perthshire.
“As a result of these proposals, the party will be making representations to the Boundary Commission.”
Deputy Chair of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, Lord Matthews, said: “We are grateful for the responses received during our previous consultations including those presented at the five public hearings that we held across Scotland earlier this year. We have considered all representations very carefully and, where possible, have tried to respond positively to suggestions.
“The legislative requirements of the review do mean we are not always able to incorporate alternatives and sometimes of course we receive conflicting views or suggestions with unintended consequences for other parts of Scotland.
“We very much look forward to receiving views on the Revised Proposals after which we will finalise our proposals before submitting them to the Speaker of the House of Commons by July 1 next year.”
