AGENDA ITEM NO. 15

SOUTH HOLLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL

REPORT TO: COUNCIL – 10 SEPTEMBER 2008

BY: HEAD OF CUSTOMER, LEGAL AND MEMBER SERVICES

SUBJECT: Review of Polling Places for Deeping St Nicholas

PURPOSE: To consider altering the polling places for parts of the Deeping St Nicholas

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Since 2005 the Deeping St Nicholas Primary School has been used as the polling station for the Deeping St Nicholas and areas of the Parish. Prior to 2005, the Church Schoolroom at one end of the village and the Jubilee Hall at the Hop Pole end were used as the polling stations. The polling station was merged into one venue following the closure/demolition of the Church Schoolroom and the poor disabled access at the Jubilee Hall. No other suitable venues were identified at that time and the school was designated as the polling station for both areas.

1.2 At the review of polling districts and polling places carried out in 2007 Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council requested that consideration be given to the use of two separate polling station venues at each end of the village to replace the current polling station at the Deeping St Nicholas Primary School. The venues suggested by the Parish Council were the Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church for polling district AF1 and the Methodist Chapel at the Hop Pole end of the village for polling district AF2.

1.2 At the time of the full polling district review the Church did not have any toilet and kitchen facilities although improvements were scheduled. Members will recall that at the Council meeting of 21 November 2007 it was agreed that the polling station for polling districts AF1 and AF2 remain at the Deeping St Nicholas School and that further investigation be carried out of the Parish Council’s suggestion when the improvements at the Church had been completed.

1.3 The Church have now completed their improvements and all possible venues have been visited by officers to assess their suitability as polling stations.

2.0 THE DESIGNATION OF POLLING PLACES

2.1 The Council must designate a polling place for every polling district and keep them under review. In determining where polling places should be located the Council must seek to ensure that all the electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practical in the circumstances.

3.0 CURRENT POLLING ARRANGEMENTS

3.1 The Deeping St Nicholas School is situated at a central point along the Main Road of Deeping St Nicholas but is some distance for electors to travel from each end of the village and is currently used as the polling station for polling districts AF1 and AF2. The number of electors currently registered to vote at this polling station is as follows: Polling district Total number of Number of electors Maximum number electors voting by post of electors voting at polling station AF1 1208 258 950 AF2 233 70 163 Total 1441 328 1113

3.2 The school provides good disabled access and has a small off-road car park at the front. The school closes on polling day.

4.0 VENUES CONSIDERED

4.1 Three premises have been visited and have been considered as possible alternatives:  Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church  Deeping St Nicholas Methodist Chapel  Jubilee Hall

4.2 Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church The Church is situated at the Spalding side of Deeping St Nicholas and is one mile from the current polling station at the school. The Church has recently undergone some improvements with an excellent kitchen and disabled toilet being installed at the rear of the Church. The polling station would be situated within the main Church itself. The facilities are good. There are two steps at the entrance to the Church but temporary ramps are available. It should be noted that the Church does not have any off-road car parking facilities however agreement has been reached with a local farmer to use the entrance to a field as parking. This facility is about 50 meters walk from the Church.

4.3 Deeping St Nicholas Methodist Chapel The Methodist Chapel is situated at the Hop Pole end of the village approximately 1.2 miles from the current polling station at the school. The Chapel has recently been improved with an extension being built to the rear which provides a meeting room with excellent facilities and disabled access. Off-road parking is available at the rear of the Chapel.

4.4 Jubilee Hall The Jubilee Hall is situated at the Hop Pole end of the village approximately 1.2 miles from the school and almost opposite the Methodist Chapel. This hall was used as the polling station for the AF2 polling district until 2005. A permanent ramp has recently been installed at the entrance and this building now provides good disabled access. The hall provides adequate facilities with basic kitchen and toilet facilities. There is currently no disabled toilet. A small car parking area is available.

4.0 ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED

4.1 The following options have been considered:  Retain current polling arrangements with the school serving as the polling station for both polling districts AF1 and AF2;  Designate the Parish Church and Methodist Chapel as the polling stations for polling districts AF1 and AF2 respectively;  Designate the Parish Church and Jubilee Hall as the polling stations for polling districts AF1 and AF2 respectively. 5.0 CONSULTATION UNDERTAKEN

5.1 The Parish Council, County Councillor and District Councillors for this area have been invited to comment on these proposals.

5.2 At the time of writing this report, the proposal outlined below has the support of two of the three ward members, the County Councillor and the Parish Council. However one ward member’s preferred option is for the use of the Jubilee Hall (for polling district AF2) and the Deeping St Nicholas School (for polling district AF1) to provide venues which are not located within religious buildings. However as the School is situated towards the middle of the village it is felt that this option does not address the issue of having a polling station at either end of village.

6.0 PROPOSAL FOR CONSIDERATION

6.1 Taking all the issues into account and the views of the Parish Council and ward members it is felt that the provision of two polling stations, one at each end of the village, would be the most suitable and convenient arrangement for electors living in the Deeping St Nicholas and Hop Pole areas.

6.2 It is therefore proposed that the Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church be designated as the polling station for polling district AF1 and the Methodist Chapel be designated as the polling station for polling district AF2.

6.3 This option has the following advantages :  Implements the proposal put forward by Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council  Provides a polling station at each end of the village  Reduces the need to travel for electors living at the Spalding side and Hop Pole ends of the village  Removes the need for the school to close on polling day

7.0 LEGAL, FINANCIAL AND OTHER IMPLICATIONS

7.1 Financial :The proposal in this report will result in an additional polling station being used and there will be a need to purchase an additional disabled height polling booth to maintain our commitment to supply all polling stations with one booth suitable for use by disabled persons. The cost of purchasing an additional booth is £270 however it may be possible to obtain grant funding from the Election Claims Unit at the Communities and Local Government to cover 80% of the cost, which would leave only £53 to be funded by the Council. However if grant funding is not available the total cost of £270 could be funded from within existing budgets.

7.2 Also, the use of an additional polling station will result in extra hire and staffing costs on election day. This would be approximately £460 for each election held in the area. This would only be an expense to the District Council at the four-yearly District Council elections and any District By-elections. The costs relating to all other elections are funded by other bodies/organisations.

7.3 Legal: The designation of polling stations is a legal requirement under Section 18B of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended by the Electoral Administration Act 2006). This requires authorities to seek to ensure that all electors have reasonable facilities for voting and that as far as is reasonable and practicable every polling place is accessible to electors who are disabled. 7.4 Risk Management: The lack of off-street parking for the Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church does mean that vehicles are likely to park on the highway. Although an agreement has been reached with a local farmer to park adjacent to the entrance to a nearby field this may not be as attractive to voters as on-road parking. The agreement could also be terminated at any time.

7.5 Staffing: The proposal has staffing implications in relation to the need to appoint an extra presiding officer and poll clerk on polling day.

7.6 Equality and Diversity: Consideration has been given to issues relating to the use of religious venues as polling stations. However it should be noted that a number of other polling stations within the District are located in places of worship, such as chapels and churches without any complaints or issues being raised. All voters are however able to choose to vote by post or by proxy instead of voting in person at their allotted polling station. In addition, the venues contained in the proposal provide good access to disabled persons by the provision of either permanent or temporary ramps.

4.0 RECOMMENDATION(S)

4.1 That the Deeping St Nicholas Parish Church and the Deeping St Nicholas Methodist Chapel be designated as the polling stations for polling districts AF1 and AF2 respectively in the and Deeping St Nicholas Ward.

Background papers:-  Letters from Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council dated 21 June 2007 and 18 September 2007  Council report and minutes of 21 November 2007  Accessibility questionnaires for Church, Chapel and Jubilee Hall  Consultation documents and responses from Deeping St Nicholas Parish Council and ward members

File Ref: EL.16 Appendices: None Report Author: JAE

Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985

Please contact Jim Scarsbrook, the Head of Customer, Legal and Member Services, if you want more information about this report or the background papers. You can contact him:  by post at the Council Offices, Priory Road, Spalding, , PE11 2XE  by phone on 01775 761161  by email at [email protected]