The latest round of proposals to shake up Dorset’s political landscape have been revealed - and it could see part of west Dorset move into the south. 

The Boundary Commission has released revised plans to alter constituency borders across the county as part of its most recent review.

If the plans go ahead, Chickerell and Chesil Bank will be moved from its current West Dorset constituency into South Dorset, however it’s thought that proposals may never be implemented as opposition at Westminster could kill the plan to reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600. 

It is believed that Theresa May would have won an outright victory at this year’s general election if the proposed boundaries had been in force then.

Cllr Ian Gardner, Chickerell and Chesil Bank ward councillor for West Dorset District Council, said: “It doesn’t change the fact that Chickerell would still be in west Dorset. 

“It’s one of these things that people may have an emotional response to, but it won’t change the parish or the town councils. It will just mean having a different MP which you may get at the next election anyway. 

“It’s not likely to go ahead when the Conservatives don’t have a majority government and Labour and the Liberals are against it.” 

West Dorset MP Oliver Letwin said: “This is a perfectly sensible proposal as part of a sensible move to equalise the size of constituencies across Dorset. I don’t feel very confident, however, that they are actually going to be put into practice.”

The Boundary Commission revealed the altered plans following cross-party objections to its radical proposals to split parliamentary seats in two in parts of east Dorset. Its earlier proposals included abolishing the current seat of Christchurch and putting parts of the borough into a new seat called Bournemouth North and Christchurch.

Bournemouth would have been split between that seat and a new Bournemouth South constituency, instead of the current Bournemouth East and Bournemouth West.

All the political parties, along with several sitting MPs, objected to the commission’s plans.

In their revised plan, the boundary commissioners write: “We acknowledge that there was little support for our initial proposals in Dorset, and in particular the strength of local opinion in Bournemouth and Christchurch.”

Plans to move Wareham into the South Dorset constituency have been dropped.