Meon Valley MP Flick Drummond is set to submit an alternative plan to the Boundary Commission in a bid to save her constituency from being disbanded.

Only established in 2010, the rural constituency held by the Conservative MP would again become part of the constituencies of Winchester, Fareham and East Hampshire if the current proposed changes are passed through.

Winchester would get back a chunk of the Meon Valley including Cheriton, Kilmeston, Bishop's Waltham and Hambledon, but lose Chandler's Ford which would return to Eastleigh.

Ms Drummond has said she’s ‘disappointed’ by the proposals but supports the overall strategy and has now teamed up with Fareham and Eastleigh to formulate an alternative plan which will be submitted to the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) on Friday.

She said: “I am disappointed about the proposals to disband Meon Valley. It has been a base for me for 36 years, I have family living there and I was married there too.

“However, I do support the overall strategy of having fairer constituency sizes.

“Along with Fareham and Eastleigh we are putting forward an alternative on Friday that will essentially move wards around in the three constituencies so we can keep them largely as they are.

“We feel this is a good alternative because all three constituencies work really well, and we feel this is the best way for people to be represented in the future. Doing so will largely keep continuity and avoid confusion.”

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Boundaries for constituencies are reviewed every five years with the aim of keeping them all the same size.

The Commission says it is required to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is more equal; in doing so, the number of constituencies in England will increase from 533 to 543.

Steve Brine MP said: “Parliamentary boundary changes bring disruption for almost everyone involved and always demand give and take but they’re part of the job. The local Conservatives and the party nationally support the proposals put forward by the Boundary Commission for England which are logical given the legislative framework we’ve set them based on the manifesto we stood on and pledged to deliver.”

The BCE’s suggested reshuffle is currently midway through a secondary consultation period, with residents given until April 4 to voice their opinions of the changes. Final recommendations will go to Parliament by July 2023.

To do so, members of the public are encouraged to visit bcereviews.org.uk/node/6488, where they can also view maps showing the proposed new boundaries.

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