Boundary changes come into effect for the General Election on 4 July, meaning there will now be seven Parliamentary constituencies in Somerset Council’s area.
You can check individual constituencies using this mapping tool: Boundary review 2023: Which seats will change in the UK? (parliament.uk) You can pick your current constituency and compare it with the new boundary. On Parliament’s website you can check using your address or postcode.
The new constituencies are:
Bridgwater – The new boundary essentially follows the western boundaries of the former Sedgemoor district, with eastern settlements such as Axbridge and Cheddar moving into the neighbouring Wells and Mendip Hills seat. The new boundaries also mean Bridgwater’s MP will no longer have the Hinkley Point C power station in their constituency as it will transfer to Tiverton and Minehead.
Frome and East Somerset – The new seat takes the eastern elements of the former Mendip district, keeping Frome and the villages east of Shepton Mallet. It falls within the Somerset Council administrative area and adjoining Bath and North East Somerset. It also includes Midsomer Norton and Radstock. Bruton has moved into the Glastonbury and Somerton seat.
Glastonbury and Somerton – The new Glastonbury and Somerton seat is being created out of the majority of the existing Somerton and Frome seat, including Bruton, Castle Cary, Langport, Somerton and Wincanton. It also includes Glastonbury and Street.
Taunton and Wellington – This seat will retain the county town and surrounding villages, including Norton Fitzwarren and Staplegrove. It will lose Wiveliscombe and Bishops Lydeard to the Tiverton and Minehead seat.
Tiverton and Minehead – This is the single biggest redrawing of the map, with Somerset and Devon joining up together. The constituency combines the western, more rural end of the current Bridgwater and West Somerset seat, including Minehead, Watchet and Williton, most of Exmoor National Park and the entirety of the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). It also includes Tiverton and the surrounding villages, part of the former Tiverton and Honiton constituency.
Wells and Mendip Hills – The new constituency includes Axbridge, Cheddar, Shepton Mallet and Wells, and loses Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge to Bridgwater. Most of the constituency is in the Somerset Council administrative area, the remainder in North Somerset. It includes Yatton and other settlements part of the old Weston-super-Mare seat.
Yeovil – This is the least changed new constituency. For the most part, the boundaries of the new Yeovil seat are the same as the current Yeovil constituency. The Yeovil seat will include the largest population areas in South Somerset including Yeovil, Chard, Crewkerne and Ilminster.
Key dates:
- 7 June – close of nominations
- 18 June – deadline for voter registration
- 19 June – deadline for postal vote and postal proxy vote applications
- 26 June – deadline to apply for free Voter Authority Certificate
- 26 June – deadline for proxy vote submissions
- 4 July – polling day 7am-10pm
- 4-5 July – counting and declarations
