A RESPONSE to an application to 'rename Wantage Didcot' is set to be published in the next three months.

The Boundary Commission for England, which was asked to consider changing the name of the Wantage parliamentary constituency either to 'Didcot' or 'Didcot and Wantage', has said it will will publish its considered proposals on this issue this autumn.

The proposals, which may or may not include a change of name for the Oxfordshire constituency, are part of a review of parliamentary constituencies across the country.

Didcot Town Council and town promotion group Didcot First both submitted applications to the boundary commission to change the constituency name as part of a public consultation on the issue last year.

Wantage MP Ed Vaizey backed the suggestion of adding Didcot to the name, but many in Wantage opposed it.

The commission said: "We are currently in the process of reviewing more than 25,000 representations from members of the public, politicians, political parties and other organisations received during the two public consultation periods conducted during autumn 2016 and spring 2017.

"It is our current intention to publish our revised proposals during autumn 2017 and complete a further (and final) eight-week public consultation period."

Following that final public consultation the commission will submit a report to government by September 2018, which will then be debated by both houses of parliament.