Following the publication of  proposals for the Ribble Valley parliamentary constituency which are subject to public consultation ,   MP  Nigel Evans and local councillors are urging the public, Town and Parish councils to support the campaign by to keep the Longridge

Chipping and Ribchester in the Ribble Valley by making written  representations to the Boundary Commission.

 The proposals remove  Longridge Chipping and Ribchester from the Ribble Valley constituency and place into Lancaster along with most of the Borough of Wyre and Preston Rural North and East .

 The Commission plans recommend altering the present  constituency  to  include Fishwick Ward from  Preston , Barnoldswick, Earby, from Pendle  and removing Farington Lostock Hall and Tardy Gate to South Ribble .The rest  of the present  constituency including Clitheroe, and surrounding villagesremains together . The new constituency will cover 4 local government authorities City of Preston , Pendle, Ribble Valley and South Ribble.

Thechanges are based on making  constituencies of equal size , 76 641 voters  with a tolerance of 5% as the only variation.

 Ken Hind Chairman of Longridge and Chipping Conservatives commented   ''Nigel Evans MP and the local Conservatives urge the public  to support  the campaign . We urge you  to write to the Boundary Commission to  say you reject the Commissions's proposals and argue for  3 changes   ;-

 1.Ribchester , Longridge and Chipping to stay with Ribble Valley,

 2.City of Preston  Fishwick ward to remain with Preston

 3.City of  Preston  Greyfriars ward  to stay  with the wards that make up the new  Lancaster constituency .

 ''Longridge Chipping and Ribchester communities have always been  part of the the Ribble Valley constituency since it was created and is part of the Ribble ValleyBorough Council area. There is a strong community of interest in the rural area and no common interest with Lancaster . 

 The figures stack up and to appropriately sized constituencies and  we  expect that Fishwick voters will want to remain with Preston. The whole of the Ribble Valley Borough remains in the one constituency under these amended  proposals. Our aim is to keep the Ribble Valley Borough in one constituency with one MP and preserve as much of the present constituency as possible.

 ''It is essential that this is a community issue and the interests of political parties do not enter into it. We will work with all shades of opinion and parties to achieve this objective. Liason with local authorities is an important part of an MP's work and these changes will enable the Ribble Valley MP to work with 3 local authorities not 4

 '' Ribble Valley Mayor,Councillor Simon Hoare will take the case to the Legram,  Dunsop Bridge and Chipping Parish Councils to urge their support as will  Councillor Ian Sayers in Ribchester. The Longridge Town Council has already discussed the matter at its meeting last week and have been asked to lead the Longridge community in this fight ''.

 '' There will be public hearings at the Tickled Trout in Preston on the 24th  October 2011, not leaving much time, at which we hope as many people as possible Borough Town and Parish Councils will make their views known to the Parliamentary Boundary Commissioner.''

 Responses to the the proposals  should  be  sent to the  Boundary Commission for England, 35 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BQ or by e-mail to : reviews@bcommengland.x.gsi.gov.uk . The full details of the proposals can be found on the Commission's web site .The public consultation closes on the 5th December.2011 .