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Should Hyndburn's parliamentary name change to Accrington?

Plans to change Hyndburn’s parliamentary name to Accrington under a major boundaries shake up will cost the council and businesses ‘thousands of pounds’, it’s been claimed.

New draft proposals by the Boundary Commission would see the Hyndburn constituency renamed and enlarged to cover Padiham, but lose Haslingden.

The changes are part of plans to cut the number of MPs in the House of Commons by 50.

Hyndburn council has now voted in favour of retaining the name ‘Hyndburn’ after fears were raised over cost implications and the future of the council. The final decision will be made by the Boundary Commission.

Coun Peter Britcliffe told a recent full council meeting: “I ran a referendum on the topic as to whether we should change the name from Hyndburn to Accrington and districts.

The map of the proposed boundary changes to Hyndburn parliamentary constituency.

“People rejected the name change and I think the biggest vote against it came in Great Harwood. It was rejected by the majority of the people.

“I think people have grown far more to love Hyndburn and certainly there was quite a protest on social media that the name might disappear.

“If we drop the name Hyndburn from the constituency where does that leave Hyndburn council, because we would be a council for an area that doesn’t exist?

“It will cost a fortune replacing all the fancy Hyndburn signs. It will cost thousands and thousands of pounds.”

Coun Gareth Molineux added: “I’m from Great Harwood and I belong to Hyndburn. Every township has its own identity and Hyndburn keeps these townships with its own identity.”

However, Coun Malcolm Pritchard disagreed, and claimed most people couldn’t point to Hyndburn on a map.

He said: “When you go on holiday if you say to anybody you come from Hyndburn everybody turns round and says ‘where’s Hyndburn?’.

“I don’t think we should put Padiham in Hyndburn. It’s part of Burnley.”

Council leader Miles Parkinson said it was important for Hyndburn to remain intact and ‘have one voice in Parliament’.

He told the meeting: “It will be the Boundary Commission who decides. I’m relaxed about the name of the parliamentary seat.

“The most important thing for the area is we have an MP that represents the entirety of the borough.”

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