Electorate 67,199 (December 2010) European Parliament constituency South West England Number of members 1 | Created February 1974 Member of parliament Chris Skid | |
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County 1974–1996 Avon
1996–present South Gloucestershire Created from Bristol South East and South Gloucestershire Replaced by Bristol South East, South Gloucestershire | ||
Kingswood is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Chris Skidmore, a Conservative.
Contents
History
The constituency has existed since the February 1974 general election. This marginal constituency has been held by the Conservative and Labour parties to date. Before the 2010 election when the seat was held by Labour it was on 135 the Conservative Party target seats list and in the 2015 election it is 41 on the Labour Party target seats list
Boundaries
1974-1983: The Urban Districts of Kingswood and Mangotsfield, and the Rural District of Warmley.
1983-1997: The District of Kingswood wards of Chase, Chiphouse, Downend, Forest, Hanham, Mangotsfield, New Cheltenham, Soundwell, Staple Hill, and Woodstock, and the City of Bristol wards of Frome Vale, Hillfields, St George East, and St George West.
1997-2010: The Borough of Kingswood wards of Badminton, Blackhorse, Bromley Heath, Chase, Chiphouse, Downend, Forest, Hanham, Mangotsfield, New Cheltenham, Oldland Barrs Court, Oldland Cadbury Heath, Oldland Longwell Green, Siston, Soundwell, Springfield, Staple Hill, and Woodstock, and the City of Bristol wards of Frome Vale and Hillfields.
2010-present: The District of South Gloucestershire wards of Bitton, Hanham, Kings Chase, Longwell Green, Oldland Common, Parkwall, Rodway, Siston, and Woodstock.
The constituency covers part of the South Gloucestershire unitary authority, consisting of the eastern suburbs of Bristol and commuter villages outside of the city boundary, including the town of Kingswood. It largely corresponds to the former borough of Kingswood.
The Boundary Commission's Fifth Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies prompted the boundary changes with effect from the 2010 general election. In particular, all wards in the constituency are now from the South Gloucestershire authority. Prior to 2010, the Frome Vale and Hillfields wards of the City of Bristol were part of the Kingswood constituency, but have been transferred to Bristol East. Within South Gloucestershire, the Kingswood seat has gained Hanham, Bitton and Oldland Common from the former Wansdyke constituency, but lost Downend and Staple Hill to the new Filton and Bradley Stoke seat.