BOUNDARY changes which could see Pitsea residents represented by Castle Point’s MP have been met with anger.

Proposals for reform, which would see the number of MPs in England cut from 533 to 501, were unveiled by the Boundary Commission yesterday.

In Essex, the commission proposes reducing the overall number of constituencies from 18 to 17, while redrawing boundaries for existing seats.

The new map would see the Basildon and Billericay boundary changed, with Pitsea joining neighbouring Castle Point.

A new Rayleigh and Woodham Ferrers seat would replace the existing Rayleigh and Wickford constituency, with Wickford wards transferring to Basildon and Billericay.

Hadleigh, currently part of Castle Point, would join Southend West, while Laindon and Langdon Hills will join South Basildon and East Thurrock, which also has parts of Brentwood, including its railway station, inside its boundary.

Gavin Callaghan, leader of Basildon Labour, has hit out at the plans, believing them to “polarise Basildon”.

Mr Callaghan, a borough councillor for Pitsea North West, said: “Splitting Basildon across three different constituencies would mean there is a real risk of it losing its identity.

“I think Pitsea comes off worst in all of this, because residents in Felmores could end up having to travel out to Benfleet, Thundersley, or Canvey to see their MP.

“Under these changes I had real hopes there would be one constituency for the whole of Basildon where it would be strongly represented in Parliament.

“What we have seen instead is a mishmash and something that is very divisive if it comes to pass.

“The plans for South Basildon and East Thurrock are also ridiculous, as they will see three different councils in one constituency,”

But David Harrison, leader of Wickford Independents, has welcomed some of the changes, describing them as “sensible”.

Mr Harrison said: “It makes sense from a Wickford perspective, but I can’t quite see how Pitsea should be in Castle Point to be honest.

“I think these changes are more sensible than the last ones in 2010, because Wickford is with towns that are at least in the same borough, as opposed to being with Rayleigh.”

Boundaries were changed ahead of the 2010 general election, which saw the Basildon constituency abolished.

A subsequent attempt to reconfigure the boundaries was scuppered by the Lib Dems in coalition.

A public consultation on the plans is underway, with final proposals due in October 2018.