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Committee: Policy and Resources Committee Date: 2 October 2014 Subject: Review of Polling Districts and Polling Public Places Report of: Town Clerk For Decision Summary Each local authority is required to periodically conduct reviews into the polling districts and polling places used at UK Parliamentary elections within its area. The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 introduced a change to the timing of these compulsory reviews, requiring a review to be started and completed by each local authority between 1 October 2013 and 31 January 2015 (inclusive), and in accordance with this timetable, the City of London has been conducting a review of its arrangements. In conducting the review, the City has been required to take certain steps set out in Schedule A1 of the Representation of the People Act (1983). Having following the statutory process, this report is to make recommendations to the Committee for the future arrangements for polling stations and polling places in the City to be used at UK Parliamentary elections. Recommendations The Committee is requested to agree that:- There should be no changes to the existing boundaries of polling district AL. Situated in the western part of the City, AL district contains the Bread Street, Castle Baynard, Cordwainer, Cheap, Farringdon Within, Farringdon Without, Queenhithe, and Vintry Wards. The polling place for AL polling district should continue to be St Bride Foundation, Bride Lane. There should be no changes to the existing boundaries of polling district CL. Situated on the Eastern side of the City, it covers Aldgate, Billingsgate, Bishopsgate, Bridge and Bridge Without, Broad Street, Candlewick, Cornhill, Dowgate, Langbourn, Lime Street, Portsoken, Tower and Walbrook Wards. The polling place for CL polling district should continue to be Artizan Street Library and Community Centre. Polling district BL should be split, with the Golden Lane Estate making up a new polling district DL. The new boundary for this polling district will be along Fann Street. The polling place for DL polling district should be the Sir Ralph Perring Centre. The remaining part of BL polling district would contain the Aldersgate, Bassishaw, and Coleman Street Wards, and Cripplegate Ward south of Fann Street. The polling place for the remainder of the BL polling district should continue to be St Giles Cripplegate church. A map showing the existing and proposed boundaries, and the locations of the polling stations is included in Appendix 3. Main Report Background 1. The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 introduced a change to the timing of compulsory reviews of UK Parliamentary polling districts and polling places. It required a review to be started and completed between 1 October 2013 and 31 January 2015 (inclusive). 2. In accordance with the statutory requirements contained in Schedule A1 of the Representation of the People Act (1983), the City of London took the following steps: Consulted with the (Acting) Returning Officer for the Cities of London and Westminster, Charlie Parker, on the existing arrangements and proposals for the future. He asked the Town Clerk to act on his behalf and produce a report on the arrangements in the City of London. The report was published on 1 August 2014 including on the City of London website. The report (Appendix 1) considered issues including polling place access, facilities and location. It also considered current elector numbers and future residential development in the City. Published a Notice of the Review on 1 August 2014 (Appendix 2). This was published at Guildhall, on the City of London website and all Ward Notice boards. The Notice advised that the (Acting) Returning Officer’s report had been published and that registered electors could make representations regarding the existing and proposed arrangements outlined in the report by no later than 2 September 2014. Contacted Members, the constituency MP Mark Field, and local constituency political parties regarding the publication of the Notice and the (Acting) Returning Officer’s report, advising them that they could make representations regarding the existing and proposed arrangements by no later than 2 September 2014. Asked for Jean Hewitt, Access Adviser at the City of London, to review the Sir Ralph Perring Centre, and Artizan Street Libraries on their suitability as polling station venues. Jean had previously reviewed the St Bride Foundation and St Giles Cripplegate as part of the review that took place in 2011. 3. The (Acting) Returning Officer’s report recommended that the arrangements in AL and CL polling districts remain unchanged. It stated that polling places in both districts provide good facilities for electors and staff including good access and are known to the electorate. Also, notwithstanding the residential developments that are expected in AL and CL polling districts during the next four years, that the size of the electorates in AL and CL would not increase to the extent that either will exceed the Electoral Commission’s recommendation of 2,500 electors allocated to a polling station. 4. The (Acting) Returning Officer’s report recommended that because the electors in Golden Lane Estate, currently in BL polling district, have a potentially confusing route through the Barbican to their polling station at St Giles Cripplegate, an additional polling district for Golden Lane Estate, DL, should be created. The removal of the Golden Lane electors from BL polling district would make voting easier for electors in Golden Lane Estate, but also reduce some of the pressure on the polling place at St Giles Cripplegate, which currently has both a high electorate and traditionally a high turnout. 5. The report also recommended that the polling place for the new DL polling district should be located at the Sir Ralph Perring Centre with the electors in the remainder of the BL polling district continuing to vote at St Giles Cripplegate. By 2 September there had been no comments opposing the proposals for future arrangements contained in the (Acting) Returning Officers report. Jean Hewitt, after visits in 2010 and 2014 confirmed that all the venues recommended in the (Acting) Returning Officer’s report were suitable venues for polling stations. Therefore the proposals for the future contained in the (Acting) Returning Officer’s report are the final proposals for consideration by the Committee. Contact Seth Alker Electoral Services Manager 0207 332 1430 [email protected] Appendix 1 REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING STATIONS 2014 (ACTING) RETURNING OFFICER’S REPORT 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 introduced a change to the timing of compulsory reviews of UK Parliamentary polling districts and polling places. It required the next review to be completed by 31 January 2015. 1.2 The last review took place in 2011. 2. SCOPE OF THE REVIEW 2.1 Polling districts and polling places are fixed by the local authority, in this case the City of London. 2.2 Polling districts are geographical areas created by sub-dividing the City of London electoral area into smaller parts for voting. 2.3 Each polling district must be allocated a polling place which is a building or area in which the polling stations will be situated. 2.4 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. 2.5 The polling districts are currently part of the Cities of London & Westminster parliamentary constituency. They are also currently part of the City and East constituency for Greater London Authority elections. 2.6 This review of polling districts and polling places will not affect these constituency arrangements. 2.7 The existing City of London Ward boundaries and the polling places used for City Ward elections are not included in this review. 3. REVIEW TIMETABLE 3.1 1 August 2014 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 2014 End of the Consultation period 2 October 2014 Final Report on the Review for approval by the Policy and Resources Committee of the City of London Corporation. 3.2 As part of this review, the (Acting) Returning Officer must submit comments on existing arrangements and proposals for the future. This Report constitutes the City of London’s initial proposals for future arrangements. 3.3 Charlie Parker, the Chief Executive of Westminster City Council is currently the (Acting) Returning Officer for the Cities of London and Westminster constituency. He has asked that John Barradell, Town Clerk of the City of London act on his behalf and submit a Report on the review relating to the City of London. 3.4 Electors may make representations to the City of London regarding the review and the content of this report. The City of London 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. 3.5 The Consultation period will run from Friday 1 August until Tuesday 2 September 2014. 3.6 Information and documents regarding the Review can be obtained from: Seth Alker Electoral Services Manager City of London Town Clerks Dept PO Box 270 Guildhall London EC2P 2EJ www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/voting 3.7 Representations should be made in writing to the above address or emailed to: [email protected] 3.8 City of London Officers will investigate any representations.