London Borough of Croydon review of polling districts and polling places 2019 (Acting) Returning Officer’s report on existing arrangements and recommendations for changes 1 Contents Contact information Page 2 1. Introduction Page 3 2. Scope of the review Page 3 3. Methodology Page 4 4. Review timetable Page 4 5. Making representations Page 4 6. Summary of report and recommendations Page 5 Appendix 1- Current Polling Districts in by Parliamentary Page 9 Constituency Appendix 2 - Addiscombe East Ward Page 13 Appendix 3 - Addiscombe West Ward Page 15 Appendix 4 - Bensham Manor Ward Page 17 Appendix 5 - Broad Green Ward Page 19 Appendix 6 - Coulsdon Town Ward Page 21 Appendix 7 - Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood Ward Page 24 Appendix 8 - Fairfield Ward Page 27 Appendix 9 - Kenley Ward Page 30 Appendix 10 - New Addington North Ward Page 33 Appendix 11 - New Addington South Ward Page 35 Appendix 12 - Norbury and Pollards Hill Ward Page 37 Appendix 13 - Norbury Park Ward Page 39 Appendix 14 - Old Coulsdon Ward Page 41 Appendix 15 - Park Hill and Whitgift Ward Page 44 Appendix 16 - Purley Oakes and Riddlesdown Ward Page 46 Appendix 17 - Purley and Woodcote Ward Page 49 Appendix 18 - Sanderstead Ward Page 51 Appendix 19 - Selhurst Ward Page 53 Appendix 20 - Selsdon and Addington Village Ward Page 55 Appendix 21 - Selsdon Vale and Forestdale Ward Page 57 Appendix 22 - Shirley North Ward Page 59 Appendix 23 - Shirley South Ward Page 61 Appendix 24 - South Croydon Ward Page 63 Appendix 25 - South Norwood Ward Page 65 Appendix 26 - Thornton Heath Ward Page 68 Appendix 27 - Waddon Ward Page 70 Appendix 28 - West Thornton Ward Page 73 Appendix 29 - Woodside Ward Page 75 Contact information Information on who can make representations and where to address representations is given on page 4. Should you wish to speak to someone about this review or want further information please contact: Seth Alker, Head of Electoral Services Croydon Council Town Hall, Katharine Street Croydon CR9 1DE Telephone: 020 8604 7469 Email: [email protected] or visit www.croydon.gov.uk/pollingreview 2 1. Introduction The Representation of the People Act 1983 and the Electoral Administration Act 2013 require each local authority to undertake periodic compulsory reviews of polling districts and polling places for UK Parliamentary elections. In accordance with these Acts, the next review must be completed by 31 January 2020. The last compulsory review took place in 2014-15. There was a non-statutory review of polling districts and polling places in 2017 prior to the introduction of new local government wards in February 2018. Prior to this review an audit of all the existing polling places was conducted. The audit examined the suitability of the polling places relating to their facilities and access for all voters including disabled voters. As part of this review, the (Acting) Returning Officer must submit comments on existing arrangements and proposals for the future. This report constitutes the Croydon Council’s initial proposals for future arrangements. Jo Negrini, the Chief Executive of Croydon Council is the (Acting) Returning Officer for the Croydon Central, Croydon North and Croydon South parliamentary constituencies. A consultation period will run from 5 August 2019 – 2 September 2019 2. Scope of this review Polling districts and polling places are fixed by the local authority, in this case Croydon Council. Polling districts are geographical areas created by sub-dividing the Croydon electoral area into smaller parts for voting. Each polling district must be allocated a polling place which is a building or area in which the polling stations will be situated. A “polling station” is a desk in the polling place at which ballot papers are issued. The number of polling stations at each polling place will be determined by the Returning Officer in advance of any election and will vary according to the size of the eligible electorate at that election and the likely turnout. This review is regarding the polling districts used at parliamentary elections and will be subdivisions of the Croydon Central, Croydon North and Croydon South parliamentary constituencies. However these polling districts will also be used at Local Government elections and any future referendums. Therefore polling district boundaries will not cross existing Local Government Ward Boundaries. This review of polling districts and polling places will not affect Parliamentary Constituency or Local Government Ward boundaries. 3 3. Methodology The principles underlying Croydon’s approach to polling districts and polling places are: To retain, as far as possible, the current network of polling places and polling districts for the majority of electors to minimise disruption to voters. To ensure that, in line with Electoral Commission’s guidelines, no more than 2,500 electors are allocated to each polling station. To ensure, as far as practicable, that polling places are accessible to people with disabilities. The pattern of provision will never be ideal or suit all electors, but the current boundaries and places were drawn to try and maximise convenience to electors by using the best locations available. 4. Review timetable 5 August 2019 Publication of the Notice of Review Publication of the (Acting) Returning Officer’s Report on the existing arrangements and proposals for the future Start of the Consultation period 2 September 2019 End of the Consultation period 16 October 2019 Final Report on the Review for approval by Full Council. 01 December 2019 Publication of revised electoral register. Any changes to existing arrangements take effect. 5. Making representations Electors may make representations to Croydon Council regarding the review and the content of this report. Croydon Council would also welcome any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability, to make a representation or comment on the content of this report. Persons or bodies making representations should, if possible, propose alternative places that may be used as polling places. The consultation period will run from Monday 5 August until Monday 2 September 2019. Maps showing the existing polling district boundaries are included in appendices 2-29 below. They show the current polling district boundaries and polling places. These came into force in February 2018 and were used at the Local Government elections in May 2018 and at the European Parliamentary election in May 2019. A map of all the existing polling districts is also available on Croydon Council’s website: www.croydon.gov.uk/pollingreview 4 Information and documents regarding the review can be obtained from: Seth Alker, Head of Electoral Services Croydon Council Town Hall Katharine Street Croydon CR9 1DE www.croydon.gov.uk/pollingreview Representations should be made in writing to the above address, or emailed to [email protected] Croydon Council Officers will investigate any representations. Final recommendations, taking into account the (Acting) Returning Officer’s comments and representations made during the Consultation period, will be made in a report to the Full Council on 16 October 2019. Full Council will be asked to consider and approve the recommendations. Any changes to the existing polling district boundaries agreed by Full Council will be incorporated into the electoral register published on 1 December 2019. Should a General election or Referendum take place in the autumn of 2019, the publication of the electoral register and any changes had as a result of this review will be delayed to February 2020. 6. Summary of report and recommendations For ease of reference, the current arrangements and recommendations for future arrangements are reviewed by Local Government Ward. The Polling Districts in each Parliamentary Constituency are listed in Appendix 1 below. A detailed assessment of each Ward and the recommendations for them can be found in Appendices 2 – 29 below. This includes maps showing the existing polling district boundaries and polling places and electorate figures (as at June 2019). The summary of the recommendations are as follows. Addiscombe East Ward Polling place for polling district ADE3 changed to the Public Library, Ashburton Learning Village. No other changes are recommended. See Appendix 2 for more information. Addiscombe West Ward No change to current arrangements are recommended. See Appendix 3 for more information. Bensham Manor Ward No change to current arrangements are recommended. See Appendix 4 for more information. 5 Broad Green Ward No change to current arrangements are recommended. See Appendix 5 for more information. Coulsdon Town Ward No change to current arrangements are recommended. See Appendix 6 for more information. Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood Ward Amend the electoral register to move the addresses on Beulah Hill from CPU5 to CPU4 polling district. No other changes are recommended. See Appendix 7 for more information. Fairfield Ward Split the existing polling district FFD2 down the centre of Wellesley Road. All properties east of the new boundary to remain in FFD2 polling district. All properties west of the new boundary to be part of a new FFD6 polling district. The polling place for the amended FFD2 polling district would be located at a new venue on the east side of Wellesley Road. This could be Bedford Hall, 72-74 Wellesley Rd, Croydon CR0 2AR or another suitable alternative in the district. The polling place for the new FFD6 polling district to be located at St Michael`s Parish Church Hall, Poplar Walk, Croydon, CR0 1UA (currently polling place for FFD2). Following completion of renovation work, The Tamworth Hub to be assessed for its suitability as a polling place for polling district FFD1. See Appendix 8 for more information. Kenley Ward Move the streets in KLY1 polling district that are located at the top of the hill from KLY1 Polling District to KLY4 Polling District so that the electors can vote at Hayes Primary School, Hayes Lane which is located a little further along the ridge of the hill.