Agenda item
Statutory Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places
Report attached.
Minutes:
Members considered a report of Councillor Munsif Dad BEM JP, Leader of the Council, about the outcome of the latest statutory review of polling places and polling districts in Hyndburn and proposing recommendations.
The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 required the Council to review Hyndburn’s polling districts and polling stations periodically. The review had to cover the polling stations and polling districts used for Parliamentary, County Council and Borough Council elections and a statutory review had commenced in September 2024, so that any changes arising from the review could be implemented prior to the Lancashire County Council elections in May 2025.
When carrying out the review the Council was required by legislation to:
- ensure that all electors had reasonable facilities for voting; and
- ensure that as far as reasonable and practicable, polling places were accessible to all electors, including those with disabilities.
Polling Districts:
When reviewing polling districts the Council was required to look at the polling district boundaries and consider:
- were the boundaries well defined ?
- did the boundaries follow natural boundaries in the area ?
- was it clear which properties belonged in which polling district ?
In addition, the Council was required to look at the location of the polling district and consider:
- were there suitable transport links within the polling district and how well did these serve the areas of greatest population ?
- were there any obstacles to voters reaching the polling station e.g. steep hills, major roads that were hard to cross, railway lines, rivers etc ?
Polling Stations:
When reviewing polling stations the Council was required to look at the location of the polling station and consider:
· was it easy to get to – were there convenient transport links or were there barriers such as steep hills, major roads etc ?
In addition, the Council was required to assess the size of the polling station and consider:
· could several polling stations fit in the same room if need be ?
· was the polling station big enough, especially if there was a high turnout ?
The Council also had to look at the suitability of the polling station and determine:
· would the building be available if there was an unexpected election ?
· was the building likely to be demolished or become disused ?
· was the building accessible to people with a disability ?
Where possible, the Council had sought to avoid the use of mobile units as polling stations, as usually it was not possible to provide a wheelchair ramp within the space available at the relevant location. However, in a small number of polling districts there was no other suitable venue available within the polling district (or within a reasonable distance within an adjacent polling district) and the Council had no option but to use a mobile unit. Although this was not the ideal solution, experience from recent elections was that these units did not generate complaints or concerns in respect of a lack of full disabled access.
The full list of polling districts and polling places was set out in the report as Appendix 1. Only two changes to polling places were proposed in the Appendix, as follows:
Polling district |
Current location |
Suggested new location |
ZD |
Mobile unit at St Mary’s School |
St Mary’s School |
IA |
Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre |
Rhyddings Methodist Church |
The Leader summarised the changes above indicating that for polling district ZD the new polling station was within a classroom at St Mary’s School, rather than in a mobile unit at that location. In respect of polling district IA the new polling station would be at Rhyddings Methodist Church, rather than in a mobile unit at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre. Councillor Allen, Deputy Mayor, welcomed the change proposed in poling district IA, but noted that the pathway from the car park to the Church was very rough and in need of repair. He asked if the Council could look into this matter in conjunction with Lancashire County Council.
Councillor Stewart Eaves pointed out an error in Appendix 1 (at Page 9 of the report). Polling Districts HA, HB, HC and HD were in the County Electoral Division of Accrington North, not Accrington West and Oswaldtwistle.
Councillor Gilbert noted that there were 3 polling stations with no disabled access. He suggested that councillors look at these polling places to see if anything more could be done.
Resolved (1) That no changes are made to the Council’s current polling district boundaries; and
(2) That the polling places identified in Appendix 1 of the report are agreed.
Supporting documents: