Foyle to lose Ardmore, Eglinton and Claudy with electorate falling by 4,541 to 69,890

The shake-up is being rolled out as part of the Boundary Commission’s 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies.

Foyle had been poised to gain Bready under initial proposals to move the whole of the split ward of Slievekirk into the constituency but this idea has been scrapped and it is not now included in the commission’s final recommendations report from the review.

Instead, the whole of Slievekirk will be incorporated into West Tyrone. This means, Ardmore, Creevedonnell and Curryfree, all located within Slievekirk, will be moved into West Tyrone.

Under initial plans published in October 2021 the commission had proposed moving the entire ward of Claudy – currently split between Foyle and East Derry – into East Derry in order to increase the electorate in that constituency in line with statutory requirements.

It was also initially proposed that the entire ward of Eglinton be transferred from Foyle to East Derry for the same reason and that Slievekirk - currently split between Foyle and West Tyrone and including the Bready area – be fully aligned with Foyle.

In its final report published on Wednesday, the commission recommended that both Claudy and Eglinton be transferred to East Derry.

This is in spite of objections to the removal of Eglinton from the Foyle constituency and a proposal from one objector that Swatragh should be moved from Mid Ulster into East Derry to make up the numbers there.

The report states: "Commissioners considered objections to the ward of Eglinton being located in East Londonderry, which instead proposed this ward remain in the constituency of Foyle.

"Commissioners determined that they had been more fully informed by representations made regarding local ties and inconvenience, including about patterns of commuting, shopping, transport routes, and school attendance which link the ward of Eglinton with the Foyle constituency.

"However in balancing the factors, and as observed on their previous site visit to the locality, Commissioners determined that the pattern of settlement between Derry-Londonderry and Eglinton was such that their proposals did not divide the constituency across a built-up area.”

Under the recommendations the Foyle Parliamentary constituency electorate will reduce by 4,541 from 74,431 to 69,890.

In East Derry the number of voters will increase by 2,854 from 69,359 to 72,213.

The West Tyrone constituency roll will increase by 4,275 from 66,339 to 70,614.

BCNI Deputy Chairman Mr Justice Michael Humphreys commented: “I am pleased to announce the publication of the Commission’s Final Recommendations Report today.

"The Commission is grateful to all those individuals and organisations who made representations to us, both in writing and at the public hearings, during the extensive 2023 Boundary Review consultation process.”

No later than four months from the first date on which all four reports have been laid, the Government must submit a draft of an Order in Council giving effect to the recommendations in the reports.

The Final Recommendations Report and accompanying maps are available on the Commission’s website at www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies

Major rethink over Dungiven boundary plans