RESIDENTS in the Halstead area could be in line for a political shake-up after plans were unveiled to change the area’s Parliamentary borders.

Currently, the town of Halstead and surrounding villages such as Earls Colne, Gosfield and the Hedinghams are part of the Braintree parliamentary constituency which has Conservative James Cleverly as its MP.

The Halstead area joined the constituency during a 2010 border change.

But now a report published by the Boundary Commission for England has unveiled plans to see the Halstead area leave the Braintree consistency and form a new consistency with Haverhill.

If approved, the newly-formed constituency would officially become the Haverhill and Halstead County Constituency with a electorate of 70,787 people.

The new Halstead constituency would reach from the Haverhill to as far south as Gosfield and the Colnes.

The proposals are at an early stage and there is to be an eight-week consultation undertaken giving the parties and residents the chance to give feedback.

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If agreed, a second consultation would take place next year with the view of introducing the plans by 2023.

The plans come as part of a nationwide boundary change proposal which also include changes to the Harwich and North Essex, Witham and Colchester constituencies.

By law, the commission is required to draw up seats with 69,724 to 77,062 electors – a condition which it said meant that widespread change was inevitable.

The commission is not due to make its final recommendations to Parliament until July 2023.

Commission secretary Tim Bowden said: “Today’s proposals mark the first time people get to see what the new map of parliamentary constituencies might look like.

“But they are just the commission’s initial thoughts. We want to hear the views of the public to ensure that we get the new boundaries for parliamentary constituencies right.”