Where do you live? Is it Croydon, Streatham or Sydenham?
That will be the reality for the Norwood community if the latest boundaries are accepted as London’s parliamentary constituencies are reconfigured.
Find West Norwood by the black pointer on the before and after maps above.

What is this all about?
Periodically the boundaries for both Wards and Constituencies are reviewed to reflect shifting population and changes in legislation. Unusually the cycle of consultation for both has come to Lambeth at roughly the same time and the deadlines for commenting on both is now close.
Ward (local electoral districts - represented by Councillors): Our local Wards are currently: Thurlow Park, Knight's Hill and Gipsy Hill and we have three Councillors for each of them. Deadline 26 July – deadline now passed - watch his space for further updates.
Constituency (parliamentary - electing a single representative to the House of Commons): Our constituency is called Dulwich and West Norwood and our MP is currently Helen Hayes. Deadline 2 August

Both consultations encourage and value individual responses.

Constituency Boundaries
For more background please follow this link: www.norwoodforum.org/news/10-jun-21/proposed-new-parliamentary-constituencies

Ideas on what to say
There are two key Commission principles we suggest are important:

• “As far as possible, we try to have regard to local ties, geographic factors, local government boundaries (as they were known at 1 December 2020), existing constituencies, and minimising disruption caused by proposed change
• We use local government wards as the building blocks for proposed constituencies, but will consider splitting a ward where there is a strong case for doing so that helps us better respect the factors above"

Here are some thoughts you might like to consider in making your own submission:

• West Norwood is a cohesive community focussed around our town centre on Norwood Road. The proposed new boundary between the new Streatham and Norwood constituencies draws a line down the central section of Norwood Road.
  This proposal has taken no account of the community’s wishes expressed in the 2018 review for West Norwood town centre not to be split between constituencies.
  Splitting our community heart in half takes no account of ‘local ties’.
   
• The natural, traditional and transport links of the community are north to the rest of the London Borough of Lambeth, west to Streatham and east to Southwark.
  Dividing up the community and going beyond the North Wood ridge to Croydon takes no account of ‘geographic factors’.
   
• Lambeth is currently undergoing a Ward Boundary review which will be completed by the end of 2021. Use of old ward boundaries means data is not up to date. Notwithstanding the possibility of ‘minor changes’, not using new boundaries means neighbours in the same ward may have a different MP.
  This proposal takes no account of ‘government boundaries’ that will be in effect before this consultation is completed.
   
• West Norwood has no connection with Croydon. Lambeth is in Inner London, Croydon is in Outer London. West Norwood and Croydon are within different police and health bodies: West Norwood is within the Met Police Central South Command Unit and the NHS South East London CCG, while Croydon is in the Met Police South Area Command Unit and South West London CCG. Our existing Dulwich & West Norwood constituency has bedded in well since its creation in 1997 with our MP providing essential connectivity for cross border working between Lambeth and Southwark.
  This proposal takes no account of our existing cohesive constituency whose size falls within the new guidelines, and goes against the stated aim to ‘minimise disruption’.

Our current MP, Helen Hayes has been tremendously supportive of the local grass roots campaign to #ScrapTheYard – speaking in person at the recent planning committee meeting as an objector to Southwark Metals opening a large scrap-metal recycling business at the end of the narrow cul-de-sac that is Windsor Grove.
The proposed constituency boundary changes mean that the community could lose Helen as our MP.

If you value your community please ‘have your say’: link and information here: www.norwoodforum.org/news/10-jun-21/proposed-new-parliamentary-constituencies

If you have any thoughts or questions that the Forum might help with – please get in touch: info@norwoodforum.org