Plans to move the the Rosneathj Peninsula, Garelochhead and Rhu into a different Scottish Parliament constituency from Helensburgh have divided councillors.
Boundaries Scotland is currently consulting on a proposal which would see the Lomond North ward become part of the Argyll and Bute constituency at Holyrood.
It is currently part of the Dumbarton constituency, which would retain the council’s other two Helensburgh and Lomond wards – Helensburgh Central and Helensburgh and Lomond South.
Labour’s Jackie Baillie is the Dumbarton constituency MSP, whereas the Argyll and Bute co0nstirtuency has been held by the SNP since 2007.
Labour’s Fiona Howard and the SNP’s Math Campbell-Sturgess – who both live on the Rosneath Peninsula but represent Helensburgh wards – voiced doubts about the plans.
Cllr Campbell-Sturgess’ party colleague, Cowal’s Gordon Blair, and the council’s depute leader, Helensburgh Tory Gary Mulvaney, expressed the opposite view and the council resolved to note the proposals at a full council meeting today.
Read more: Plans to split Helensburgh and Lomond ‘clearly flawed’
Cllr Howard said: “I understand the need for balanced numbers, but Helensburgh and Lomond is a compact ward. I cannot see the sense in dividing Helensburgh from Rhu, which is a nice geographical area.
“It would be a whole lot more work for whoever represents Argyll and Bute, with Succoth, Rhu and Shandon and the peninsula.”
Cllr Campbell-Sturgess added: “It does not make any logical sense, beyond somebody drawing a line on a map. It would not just be a different parliament constituency in Rhu, it would be a different region.
“It seems completely baffling that all your services in Helensburgh would be in a different parliament constituency, and it creates issues for the MSP.”
But Cllr Blair said: “If you look at this from the perspective of the numbers it makes complete sense. The Scottish Parliament uses proportional representation.
“I am quite happy with this and I do not think it will be detrimental to council tax payers. I do not think most of the population will be perturbed by this.”
Cllr Mulvaney added: “I do not think this is a talking point for the supermarket or down the pub. Some MSPs might have to work a bit harder, but that’s life.
“In terms of our community, Argyll and Bute and the impact, I do not think this is of any detriment.
I think people are used to different tiers of government, having different boundaries, and I do not think it is much to get hot and bothered about.”
Council leader Robin Currie then moved a motion that the proposals were noted, and this was unanimously agreed.
All of the council’s wards outwith Helensburgh and Lomond are already contained in the Argyll and Bute Scottish Parliament constituency, and would remain there under the proposals.
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