AN MP who represents three Central Fife communities could see his seat placed at risk under revised proposals for boundary changes.

An eight-week public consultation has been launched to allow members of the public to have their say on plans drawn up by The Boundary Commission for Scotland, which includes potential alterations to Dunfermline and West Fife MP Douglas Chapman's constituency.

Mr Chapman currently represents Crossgates, Mossgreen and Hill of Beath but that could change if the proposals go ahead.

Initial plans to create a new political map that would see Scotland's 59 seats cut to 53 were drawn up last year and would have seen the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency – won in June's general election by Labour's Lesley Laird – disappear and be absorbed into the constituencies of Ochil and South Perthshire and Glenrothes.

But, after considering responses to those proposals published in October 2016, the Commission has now prepared revised boundary changes.

These would include the loss of the Dunfermline and West Fife, Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath and Glenrothes constituencies, with three new seats created in their place.

A new Clackmannanshire and Dunfermline seat – consisting of Dunfermline, West Fife villages, Alloa, Dollar and the Hillfoots – would be created, as would a South Fife constituency, including Rosyth, Inverkeithing, Dalgety Bay, Crossgates, Kelty and Cowdenbeath.

A Mid Fife seat, including Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes, would also be created.

Lord Matthews, deputy chair of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, said: "After careful consideration of all of the comments received during the consultations on the initial proposals, the Commission has designed this revised set of constituencies.

"Where the legislation has allowed it, we have tried to respond to the views expressed to us. However, in some areas, we have been unable to make changes because of the constraints on constituency design within which we work.

"This is the final opportunity we have to obtain views on our proposals so we can further improve them where the legislation allows us to do so.

"I hope people will take the opportunity to contribute, whether for or against what we have proposed."

The UK parliament wants to cut the number of constituencies across the country from 650 to 600 and, when the initial plans were drawn up, it drew criticism from Mr Chapman, who said: "Clearly, the SNP would be unhappy at any reduction in the number of any democratically elected Scottish MPs, especially at a time when the number of unelected Lords is growing exponentially.

"There are now over 850 unelected Lords and if the UK government wanted to save money, the real saving could be made by reducing them.

"With the political uncertainty of Brexit and the adoption of what would be former European matters, the workload of an MP and MSP is only going to increase."

The public consultation process will run until Monday December 11 and, after considering responses, the Commission will develop its final recommendations and submit its report to the Secretary of State in September 2018.

Members of the public can have their say online at www.bcs2018.org.uk.