With the 2024 general election just two weeks away, we look at how the boundaries of Buckinghamshire’s seats have changed.
Ahead of the July 4 vote, it has been decided by the Boundary Commission for England that the county will be made up of eight constituencies, rather than seven.
What has changed?
First of all, there are two Bucks constituency names at this year’s election, which did not exist last time around. One is Buckingham and Bletchley. The other is Mid Buckinghamshire.
At the same time, the Milton Keynes South seat no longer exists and has been split between three successor constituencies.
Around 40 per cent of this former seat has gone to Buckingham and Bletchley, with the rest of it split between the other Milton Keynes constituencies.
READ MORE: General election 2024: Full list of Bucks candidates
The newly formed Buckingham and Bletchley seat now includes both the towns that make up its name, as well as Winslow and villages such as Stoke Hammond and Stewkley.
The constituency previously stretched as far south as Princes Risborough and as far east as Ivinghoe, but these areas have been subsumed by Mid Buckinghamshire and Aylesbury respectively.
In fact, less than 40 per cent of the previous Buckingham constituency has gone to its successor, with huge swathes of it being added to the two seats previously mentioned.
The new Mid Buckinghamshire constituency spans from Marsh Gibbon and Steeple Claydon in north Bucks, all the way down to Stokenchurch, Hughenden and Little Missenden in the South.
Around 16 per cent of Chesham and Amersham has gone to this fresh seat, as well as 31 per cent of Aylesbury.
Meanwhile, the constituencies of Chesham and Amersham, Beaconsfield and Wycombe, retain the bulk of their former territories.
One of Chesham and Amersham’s most noticeable differences is the loss of Great Missenden and the surrounding villages to Mid Buckinghamshire.
At the same time, it gains Hazlemere from Wycombe and also takes the chunk around Gerrards Cross out of Beaconsfield.
Besides the loss of Hazlemere, Wycombe’s only other change is gaining 0.5 per cent of Aylesbury in the form of Studley Green.
Neighbouring Beaconsfield will shrink at this year’s election, with the loss of the Gerrards Cross area marking a 7.5 per cent reduction in size.
Why have the constituencies changed?
Constituency boundaries are regularly reviewed to make sure that seats are all roughly a similar size and respect local ties between areas.
UK Parliament says: “The reviews alter constituencies to reflect rising and falling populations and changes in the boundaries of the electoral wards that comprise them.”
📢 "Why wait for news? With Bucks Free Press get real-time updates directly on our ad-free app. Subscribe for unlimited access to our digital edition and enjoy 80% fewer ads on our website. Click here to find out more about how to get your news, your way, every day. #UnlimitedNews #AdLightExperience" 📢
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article