On the eve of the historic vote on Scottish independence, one politician is urging Epsom’s people to say ‘No’ to any move to merge the borough with the capital.

This summer, the Epsom Guardian ignited a debate as to whether the boundaries of London should be re-drawn to include the area after the issue was raised by planning expert Barney Stringer.

His query, which was based on the release of data from the 2011 Census, showing people’s journeys to work, argued that a number of districts contain residents who are more reliant on the capital for work than their home town - "areas that already function as part of the city".

Although a number of Epsom’s councillors raised their opposition to the premise, Stoneleigh councillor Mike Teasdale said he had always thought Epsom should become part of a London borough such as Sutton.

And Croydon and Sutton London Assembly Member Councillor Steve O’Connell said Epsom would be "welcomed with open arms" into the city and suggested, tongue-in-cheek, a merger with Sutton.

But much like his party’s view on the Scottish question, Epsom’s Conservative MP Chris Grayling is not in favour of any change to the boundaries.

Speaking to this newspaper today, he said: "I definitely don’t support it. 

"The real danger would be the borough of Epsom and Ewell disappearing as it is too small to be a London borough in its own right. 

"It would have to become part of the boroughs of Sutton, Merton or Kingston and this wouldn’t be in its interests or in those of the surrounding areas.

"We would end up in a position where basically Epsom and Ewell would become an afterthought.

"I don’t believe it’s in anyone’s interests and there is no willingness to do it. 

"We would have to have a comprehensive review of the boundary as a whole and I can’t see that any Government would think that’s a good idea at this time."

Your Local Guardian:

Epsom and Ewell was considered for inclusion within Greater London in the early 1960s, but it is understood that the idea was not welcomed and the proposition did not come to anything as the original plans, for what became the Greater London Council, in 1965, were scaled back considerably and excluded the borough.

In his article raising the question of the change, Mr Stringer asks: "Is it time re-draw London’s boundaries once again, to embrace these areas that already function as part of the city?

"Or are there other ways to integrate London’s hinterland, perhaps by giving the Mayor of London greater powers over transport and housing beyond London’s boundaries?"

What do you think? Leave a comment below or contact Hardeep Matharu on the newsdesk by emailing hmatharu@london.newsquest.co.uk.