Boundaries Scotland

North Ayrshire Council · 15 May 2024
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NORTH AYRSHIRE COUNCIL
15 May 2024
North Ayrshire Council
Title: Boundaries Scotland: 2023 Review of Scottish Parliament
Boundaries
Purpose: To further advise Council of Boundaries Scotland’s 2023
Review of Scottish Parliament Constituency Boundaries.
Recommendation: That Council a) notes Boundaries Scotland’s 2023 Review of
Scottish Parliament Constituencies and the amended proposals
for the alteration of the constituency boundary for Cunninghame
South following consideration of initial consultation responses;
(b) agrees to accept the revised proposals and c) agrees to
receive further updates as the Review progresses.
1. Executive Summary
1.1 Boundaries Scotland began its 2022 Review of Scottish Parliament Constituencies in
September 2022 and has now published amended proposals following a consultation
process in relation to which a response was provided by the Council as agreed on 21st
June 2023.
1.2 There are 73 constituencies in Scotland, each of which returns a single MSP. In
addition, there are eight regions for Scotland, each region returning seven MSPs from
the list. The review does not affect the number of constituencies, regions or the
number of MSPs. To ensure electoral fairness as far as possible, each constituency in
Scotland should have an electorate as near as possible to the “electoral quota”, which
has been set at 59,902 electors. This provision does not apply to the “protected”
constituencies of Na h-Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles), Orkney Islands and
Shetland Islands.
1.3 The Commission published its initial proposals for a 4-week consultation on 17 May
2023 and to which the Council responded. Following receipt of consultation responses
and the consultation process, amended proposals have recently been circulated for
consideration. Changes are proposed to the existing Cunninghame South boundary.
There are no changes proposed to Cunninghame North. The proposals for
Cunninghame South would result in the incorporation of part of Kilmarnock and Irvine
Valley constituency into the Cunninghame South constituency albeit to a lesser extent
than that originally proposed.
1.4 Boundaries Scotland will submit final recommendations to the Scottish Parliament by
1 May 2025

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2. Background
2.1 Boundaries Scotland (formerly the Local Government Boundary Commission for
Scotland) is an independent advisory non-departmental public body which is
responsible for reviewing and making recommendations for constituencies and
regions of the Scottish Parliament; the number of Councillors on each Council in a
local government area; the number of wards for local government elections and their
boundaries; and the extent of Council areas.
2.2 The current consultation relates to the boundaries of constituencies of the Scottish
Parliament. A further consultation will be issued in relation to the boundaries of the
regions in respect of which “list” MSPs are returned to the Scottish Parliament.
2.3 The boundary extent of Scottish Parliamentary constituencies have been unchanged
since 2011 and have been used in the 2011, 2016 and 2021 Scottish Parliament
elections. This review is required by the Scotland Act 1998 to ensure that there is
fairness in electoral representation across all constituencies in Scotland, through
having a similar electoral number, with the exception of the constituencies of Na h-
Eileanan an Iar (the Western Isles), Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands which have
special status. The Review requires to take account of changes in population size and
distribution.
2.4 There are 73 constituencies in Scotland, each of which returns a single MSP. In
addition, there are eight regions for Scotland, each region returning seven MSPs from
the list. The review does not affect the number of constituencies or regions or the
number of MSPs.
2.5 The review is based on the electorate on the electoral register on 1 September 2022.
The average electorate quota of each Scottish consistency has been set at 59,902 –
“the electorate quota”. This is calculated by dividing the total electorate of Scotland
(less those in the protected constituencies) and dividing that number by 70 (the
number of constituencies) which results is the average electorate of 59,902.
2.6 It is proposed that 21 constituencies will remain unchanged, 26 will retain their name
but have their boundaries changed and those which are to change include
Cunninghame South and Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley and there will be 25 new
constituencies with a new name and boundary extent.
2.7 Boundaries Scotland considers several factors when determining constituencies
incorporating geographical considerations, which include the size, shape, and
accessibility of a constituency; boundaries of council areas and electoral wards;
electoral quota; and any local ties which would be broken by changes in
constituencies.
2.8 The Commission published its initial proposals for an 4-week consultation on 17 May
2023. It proposed changes to the existing Cunninghame South boundary. At that
point, it was proposed that the boundaries of Cunninghame South and Kilmarnock and
Irvine Valley would change to the effect that the boundary of Cunninghame South
would extend into East Ayrshire as shown on the map annexed at Appendix 2. The
existing boundary of Cunninghame South is shown on the map annexed at Appendix
1. This would have resulted in Cunninghame South having and electorate of 62,113
(+3.7% variation) and Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley having an electorate of 54,297 (-

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8.3% variation).  The current position is that Cunninghame South contains 51298 (-
14% variation from electoral quota) and Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley 65742 (+10%
variation).   The proposals for Cunninghame South would result in the incorporation of
part of Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency into the Cunninghame South
constituency. 
2.9 The Council responded to the consultation last year as agreed at the Council meeting
on 21st June 2023. Our comments included the following points:
• The proposal will result in the constituencies of Cunninghame South and
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley not being fully aligned to local and well
established community boundaries.
• The proposal is out of step with the localities approach. The areas of the
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency which are proposed for inclusion
within Cunninghame South have generally no natural ties with Cunninghame
South, having been part of the administrative area of Kilmarnock for some
time. They are served by East Ayrshire Councillors and use East Ayrshire
services. The proposal breaks existing ties between East Ayrshire
Communities.
• When a whole constituency sits within North Ayrshire this facilitates the
seamless running of elections. It provides clarity to North Ayrshire voters that
both candidates and ultimately the elected constituency MSP are focused on
serving the population of North Ayrshire. Boundaries also fit with Locality
Planning areas.
• The Scottish Parliamentary election in East Ayrshire would be organised by
different Councils.  This could be of particular concern where a Polling Place
serves two constituencies.
• The proposal would increase the administrative burden on North Ayrshire
Council of running the election. Election office staff would need to become
acquainted with polling districts and polling places in East Ayrshire and have
the necessary arrangements put in place.  We would require to augment our
staffing levels to facilitate this process which would increase the cost burden on
running the election.
• There could be voter confusion and a lower voter turnout from Kilmarnock and
Irvine Valley voters due to concerns about the rationale for the change,
receiving communications from another local authority and concern about
whether their interests will be fully represented by an MSP whose constituents
are, in the main, from another local authority area.
• That whilst we would prefer the constituency boundary of Cunninghame South
to remain as it is, taking into account the legislative provision for equality of
electorate numbers, it is suggested that the polling districts of Kilmaurs and
Fenwick and Waterside are retained within the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley
constituency to bring the number of electors in Cunninghame South more in
line with the quota.  This would mean that the electorate would be 59,691 in
Cunninghame South and 57,349 Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, meaning a more
equitable split of the electorate.

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• Comment on the application of the legislative rules.
2.10 Following receipt and consideration of consultation responses and a local inquiry with
East Ayrshire Council, Boundaries Scotland have circulated amended proposals for
consideration. It is still proposed that the boundary of Cunninghame South is extended
into the area currently within the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency albeit to a
lesser extent as shown on the map annexed at appendix 3. This takes into account
the consultation response submitted by the Council which while preferring no change
in the boundary for the reasons stated, recognised the legislative position and
suggested, as a reserve position, a lesser change to the boundary. This has been
reflected in the revised proposals to the effect that the polling Districts of Kilmaurs,
Fenwick and Waterside are excluded from the new Cunninghame South boundary
proposals. This would result in the constituency of Cunninghame South comprising an
electorate of 59525 which is closer to the electorate quota Boundaries Scotland strive
to achieve.
2.12 In relation to the current revised proposals, Officers would not propose to submit any
further comment. This is on the basis that the lesser boundary change suggested as a
reserve position, if our general comments to retain the existing boundaries were not
accepted, is now proposed by Boundaries Scotland. It is therefore recommended that
Council accepts the revised proposals.
2.13 In terms of next steps, Boundaries Scotland will consider any further responses
received. Thereafter, subsequent proposals will be published for further consultation if
required. A final report on proposals will be submitted to Scottish Ministers by 1st May
2025.
2.14 There are no changes proposed to the Cunninghame North constituency boundary.
3. Proposals
3.1 That Council a) notes Boundaries Scotland’s 2023 Review of Scottish Parliament
Constituencies and the amended proposals for the alteration of the constituency
boundary for Cunninghame South; (b) agrees to accept the revised proposals and c)
agrees to receive further updates as the Review progresses. .
4. Implications/Socio-economic Duty
Financial
4.1 There are no financial implications arising from this report.
Human Resources
4.2 There are no human resource implications arising from this report.
Legal
4.3 There are no legal implications arising directly from this report.

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Equality/Socio-economic
4.4 There are no equality/socio-economic implications arising directly from this report.
Environmental and Sustainability
4.5 There are no environmental/sustainability implications arising directly from this report.
Key Priorities
4.6 There are no implications for key priorities arising directly from this report.
Community Wealth Building
4.7 There are no community wealth building implications arising directly from this report.
5. Consultation
5.1 Consultation has taken place with East Ayrshire Council. Previous consultation took
place with the Electoral Registration Officer and East Ayrshire Council.
Aileen Craig
Head of Service (Democratic)
For further information please contact Aileen Craig, Head of Service (Democratic), on
(01294) 324125. 
Background Papers
Boundaries Scotland’s full proposals are available at Second Review of Scottish Parliament
Boundaries | Scottish Boundary Commission

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© Crown Copyright and database right 2010 All rights reserved.Ordnance Survey Licence num ber 100022179
0 1Miles
0 2Kilometres ¯
Boundary Commission for Scotland
First Periodic Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries
Recommended Scottish Parliament constituencies
Cunninghame South County Constituency
Constituency boundary
Appendix 1

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Appendix 2

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Appendix 3