PROPOSALS published today by the Boundary Commission could see a number of communities moved into new constituencies within North Yorkshire.

The plans are part of reforms which see the number of MPs in the House of Commons reduced from 650 to 600, but much debate on the changes is likely before the boundaries are finalised for the 2020 General Election.

Villages and communities affected by the redrawn boundaries in North Yorkshire will still remain represented by a Conservative MP, apart from in York, where the University of York area moves to Labour MP Rachael Maskell’s parliamentary seat.

The boundaries have been redrawn to ensure that they contain equally-sized constituencies of between 71,000 and 78,500 electors, which is a legal requirement.

The proposals affect all of North Yorkshire's parliamentary constituencies:

THIRSK AND RICHMONDSHIRE 

The Thirsk and Malton constituency gains the North-Eastern edge of the Richmondshire parliamentary seat, moving Great Ayton, Ingleby Greenhow, Chop Gate and Bilsdale into MP Kevin Hollinrake’s constituency.

In turn, the coastal town of Filey leaves the Thirsk seat and becomes part of MP Robert Goodwill’s Scarborough and Whitby Constituency. All three areas still remain represented by the Conservative party.

Several villages in the north of the Thirsk and Malton constituency move to MP Rishi Sunak’s Richmondshire area, including South Otterington and Newby Wiske, while Kepwick, Nether Silton and Over Silton move in the opposite direction from Richmondshire to Thirsk.

HARROGATE AND RIPON

Andrew Jones’ Conservative Harrogate and Knaresborough constituency will now extend to include Blubberhouses and Askwith, down to Denton in the west and Farnley, which were previously part of Julian Smith’s Skipton and Ripon constituency. Both seats are held by Conservative MPs.

The Harrogate constituency loses Grafton Marton, Ferrensby and Arkendale on its eastern edge to become part of Conservative MP Nigel Adam’s parliamentary seat.

YORK

In the York area, the Conservative-run York Outer seat loses much of Heslington and the University of York site to Labour MP Rachael Maskell and her York Central constituency.