The Boundary Review Committee is seeking views on how House of Keys constituencies could be redrawn to reduce inequalities amongst voters, and is to hold public meetings around the Island later this month.

At present some voters have three votes in elections, some have two and some have only one. There is also a great variation in the numbers of voters per MHK.

The Committee’s latest consultation follows Tynwald approval in December for its first interim report, which set out the principles for determining future constituency boundaries including Equality of Representation.

To achieve equality, the Committee is asking whether people favour a new structure of 8 constituencies with 3 members each, 6 with 4, 12 with 2, 24 with 1, or 1 all-Island constituency with 24 members.

Factors that might be taken into account in considering the issue include: the importance of traditional sheading, parish and local authority boundaries; the geographical size of constituencies; the number of voters per MHK; the borders of villages or other communities; and whether the focus of MHKs should be mainly on national or local issues.

The Committee has already written to MHKs, and is also seeking the views of local authorities, community organisations and young people.

Public meetings are planned to take place at 7pm on the following dates:

• Promenade Methodist Church Hall, Douglas    Tuesday 17th April

• Sulby Community Hall           Wednesday 18th April

• Arbory Parish Hall, Ballabeg      Thursday 19th April

• St Johns Methodist Church Hall                 Monday 23rd April

Members of the Boundary Review Committee are: Sally Bolton, Chairman; Terry Groves; Ashton Lewis; and Bob Riding.

More information on the Boundary Review Committee can be found via the Chief Secretary’s Office website at http://www.gov.im/cso/brc/review.xml.

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