SMITH DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM BOUNDARY COMMISSION

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 25th May 2009

Liberal Democrat MSP for North East Fife Iain Smith has demanded that the Boundary Commission for Scotland publishes its reasons for ignoring public opinion and pressing ahead with a proposal to move Largo & Lundin Links from his North East Fife Constituency into the new Mid Fife & Glenrothes Constituency.

In a letter to the Deputy Chairman, Lord Woolman, Mr Smith has asked why the Boundary Commission has not taken account of the strong local ties that will be broken by the change.

"Although then rules specify the electorate must be as near the electoral quota as practicable, under Rule 4 the Commission is not bound by this where local ties mat be broken by the alterations to boundaries.

"There is no question that residents of Largo & Lundin Links consider that they have strong local ties to the East Neuk and North East Fife.

"This was confirmed by Mr R A Dunlop QC in his report on the local inquiry into the boundary proposals last September, who said 'in my judgement this inquiry has thrown up as strong an example of such local ties as one is likely to find.'

"He went on to say 'I think the local ties which would be broken by the provisional recommendations are as strong as one is likely to encounter and there is undoubtedly substantial public opposition to them'

"It is incumbent on the Boundary Commission to tell my constituents why they have rejected this clear opinion and are pressing ahead with boundary proposals that no-one other than the Boundary Commission supports.

"As a matter on natural justice, how are the people of Largo & Lundin Links meant to make representations against the decision to move them out of North East Fife if they do not know the reasons why their previous representations have been rejected," Mr Smith's letter concluded.

Iain Smith MSP urged residents to make their own representations to the Boundary Commission. "The deadline is June 21st and details of how to make representations, and my own on-line petition to keep Largo & Lundin Links in North east Fife can be found on my website, www.iainsmith.org."