Allerdale Borough Council s2

Allerdale Borough Council

Council – 15 January 2014

Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2013/14

The Reason for the Decision The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 amended the duty on all local authorities to undertake a review of polling districts and polling places within its area. They are required to carry out a statutory review within the period of 16 months from 1 October 2013 to 1 February 2015.

Summary of options considered Details of feedback received from interested parties and responses from ERO are detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

Recommendations That the review of polling districts and polling places 2013/14 be agreed and the Electoral Registration Officer be authorised to make the necessary amendments as per Appendix 1 of the report.

Financial/Resource Implications The total number of polling stations, and therefore polling station staff, has a cost implication on both Allerdale Borough Council and Town and Parish Councils.

Legal Implications To comply with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013.

Community Safety Implications None

Health and Safety and Risk None Management Implications

Equality Duty considered/Impact Yes Assessment completed

Wards Affected All wards

The contribution this decision would The Review has looked at the accessibility and make to the Council’s Priorities robustness of its electoral arrangements in meeting the needs of the public.

Is this a Key Decision Yes

Portfolio Holder Councillor Barbara Cannon

Lead Officer Gayle Roach, Democratic Services Coordinator, (01900) 702817, [email protected] Report Implications (Please delete where applicable).

Community Safety N Employment (external to the Council) N Financial Y Employment (internal) N Legal Y Partnership N Social Inclusion Y Asset Management N Equality Duty Y Health and Safety N

Background papers … Electoral Administration Act 2006, The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 …………………………………………………………………………

1.0 Introduction

1.1 The Electoral Administration Act 2006 placed a duty on all local authorities to undertake a review of polling districts and polling places in its area every four years. The last review in Allerdale was December 2011.

The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 introduced a change to the timing of the compulsory reviews of UK Parliamentary polling districts and places. The next compulsory review must be started and completed between 1 October 2013 and 31 January 2015 inclusive. Subsequently, compulsory reviews must be started and completed within the period of 16 months that starts on 1 October of every fifth year after 1 October 2013.

1.2 Allerdale Borough Council commenced their review on Friday 11 October 2013 with a five week consultation period to coincide with the publication of the revised Register of Electors on 17 February 2014. The Council also took the opportunity to review its Polling Stations as part of the review.

1.3 The purpose of the review is to ensure that all electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as practicable in the circumstances and that polling places are as accessible as possible. Although the review is of polling districts and places it is accepted that polling stations are inexorably linked to the review and comments were invited re those stations currently used and/or suggested alternatives.

A polling district is a geographical sub-division of a larger electoral area such as a ward, county division and parliamentary constituency. In England, each parish is to be a separate polling district.

A polling place is an area within the polling district in which a polling station is located selected by the (Acting) Returning Officer.

1.4 The review process began with the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) publishing a Notice of Review on Friday 11 October 2013 with the consultation running until 15 November 2013. This Notice was published in Allerdale House, on a dedicated Council webpage and through a press release and the Times and Star newspaper.

All Allerdale Borough Councillors were invited to make representations on the polling districts and places within their respective areas and to make comment on current polling stations or alternative suggestions. The invitation was extended to all electors of the borough, all parish councils, local political parties, the three MP’s for the Workington, Copeland and Eden constituencies, the (Acting) Returning Officers for Copeland and Penrith and the Border with constituencies partly contained in the borough and various organisations/ bodies with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability.

In addition, as part of the May 2013 Cumbria County elections the polling station inspectors completed feedback forms on the suitability of each station, the comments of which have fed in to this review where appropriate.

2.0 Content (to include alternative options considered)

2.1 A total of 27 representations were received during the review, of these responses 16 were satisfied with their current polling arrangements. All representations received are detailed in Appendix 1.

2.2 The following changes to polling stations have been agreed;

 Broughton Moor School be replaced by the Village Community Centre subject to a site visit to ensure suitability  Grassmoor Sports Centre, Cockermouth be replaced by The Vicarage subject to a site visit to ensure suitability  All Saints School, Cockermouth be replaced by The old changing rooms, Highfield subject to a site visit to ensure suitability  Bassenthwaite Church Room be replaced by The Parish Room subject to discussions with the booking contact  Eaglesfield Paddle School be replaced by Eaglesfield Village Hall  The Commercial Inn, Dearham be replaced by The Parish Hall Dearham

2.3 Silloth on Solway Town Council requested a polling station for the Skinburness residents, an electorate of 653 at the start of the review, rather than them having to travel down in to the town to vote. Residents had been transferred to the Solway Community Technology College after the Solway Holiday Village and the Primary School no longer wished to be used as a station and no alternative venues had been found in the nearby vicinity. The ERO agrees a polling station closer to the Skinburness area would be more suitable for electors and the Council will contact the Town Council to discuss options.

2.4 St John’s, Castlerigg & Wythburn Parish Council requested an additional polling station for the people in the Quarry area of the parish. The Quarry area consists of 101 properties with 142 electors, the Legburthwaite area has 106 electors and Castlerigg has 61 electors at the time of the review, voting at different polling stations. After consideration it was felt that the numbers were too small to allow for a new station for the Quarry, not only would this incur a hire charge for the premises and 2 new polling station staff but also additional election equipment and paperwork. The council notes the comments but does not agree to the request.

2.5 There was a request from a member of the public for an alternative or additional polling station in Stainburn, Workington and suggested a mobile station as a solution. The Council has been unsuccessful in the search for an alternative venue in the village, The School, The Briary Hotel and Residential Home do not wish to be used and previous research in to mobile stations had found them too costly. The ERO agrees that a polling station closer to the centre of the community would be more suitable for electors therefore the Council will look again at the feasibility of a mobile station.

2.6 If the above changes are agreed the total number of polling stations will remain the same across the Borough. It will however mean a reduction by one in the Ellen Ward and Dearham Parish, which in turn would reduce costs for the parish council in the event of an election.

3.0 Customer Focus

3.1 The emphasis of the review is on improving voting arrangements and to ensure convenience of access for electors, in particular for electors with any type of disability.

4.0Finance/Resource Implications

4.1 The total number of polling stations across the Borough has remained the same therefore no significant savings have been found.

4.2A small number of polling station venues have been changed therefore this could lead to a reduction in hire charges. Similarly this may also increase if the new venue charges are higher.

5.0 Recommendations

5.1 That the review of polling districts and polling places 2013/14 be agreed and the Electoral Registration Officer be authorised to make the necessary amendments as per Appendix 1 of the report.

6.0 Conclusion

6.1 The total number of polling stations throughout the borough has not been altered and no changes will be made to polling districts. Members are requested to agree the review and associated amendments to polling stations as detailed in Appendix 1.

Ian Frost Electoral Registration Officer