Morden Town centre is currently split between the existing Wimbledon and Mitcham & Morden constituencies. Part of it, including the station, falls within Merton Park ward which is part of the Wimbledon constituency. Under the new plans, that situation remains the same. Yet no one has complained about this. However, if Morden town centre was to be 're-united' by moving Merton Park ward, it would cause problems as many of the residents of that ward rightly consider themselves as living in Wimbledon.There is a similar situation in Abbey ward, which stretches towards Colliers Wood town centre. If Abbey stays in the Wimbledon constituency, it will contain people who don't much consider that they live in "Wimbledon". If it is moved to the Mitcham constituency, it will contain plenty of people who rightly feel they live in Wimbledon. Parliamentary constituencies are always going to cause difficulties on the boundaries, especially where there is such limited variation allowed for size. Where I think the suggestions for keeping Abbey and Trinity in a "Wimbledon" constituency are going to fall down is that the alternative they suggest to the boundary commission just pushes the problems down the line towards Sutton and New Malden. Why should the boundary commission particularly take into account concerns about one community being broken, when the alternative is just to annoy some other people in another place . . .
Anthony Fairclough ● 4780d