OKEHAMPTON residents will be delighted to hear that the Boundary Commission?s original proposal of creating a new constituency which would lump Okehampton in with urban areas of Exeter (St Thomas, Alphington, Cowick and Exwick) has very sensibly been dropped.
This proposal was daft and many Labour members from the Okehampton area spoke against it at the public inquiry the commission held last November. People who live in rural, semi-rural areas do not have much in common or even historical links with the city.
The new proposals are much more sensible as the new constituency Central Devon would be entirely rural, semi-rural and be much smaller geographically.
Okehampton residents should also know the Conservatives were so keen on linking Exeter and Okehampton that men from their head office in London came down to present their case at the inquiry.
Whatever happens a new constituency has to be created in Devon. We all know that there has been a huge influx of people over the last few years, so let?s get the best representation we can for our area.
Rebecca Richards
Address supplied