Report Writing

MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL

To: Council Report Number: C/63/14

From: Corporate Manager – Elections and Date of meeting: 17 December 2014 Electoral Management

REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING STATIONS

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 In accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, every council in England and Wales must undertake and complete a review of all of the polling districts and polling places in its area.

1.2 Guidance produced by the Electoral Commission sets out the process for a review, and this has been followed.

1.3 The appendix to this report provides a list of the recommended polling districts, polling places and polling stations, showing the changes which have been made since the last review.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the Council adopts the Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations as listed in Appendix A to this report.

2.2 That the Council notes the Polling Stations proposed by the Returning Officer as listed in Appendix A to this report.

3. Financial Implications

3.1 There are none.

4. Risk Management

4.1 This report is not linked with any of the Council’s Corporate / Significant Business Risks.

5. Consultations

5.1 Consultation has taken place with Parish and Town Councils, District and County councillors, the Acting Returning Officer and other interested parties.

6. Equality and Diversity Impact

6.1 Access to polling stations is a factor that is taken into account when deciding on a suitable location.

7. Shared Service / Partnership Implications

7.1 There are none.

8. Definition of terms

8.1 A polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a UK Parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election.

8.2 In England, each parish is to be a separate polling district, unless there are special circumstances.

8.3 A polling place is the building or area in which polling stations will be selected by the (Acting) Returning Officer. A polling place within a polling district must be designated so that polling stations are within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district.

8.4 A polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place. Unlike polling districts and polling places which are fixed by the local authority, polling stations are chosen by the relevant Returning Officer for the election.

9. Stowmarket

9.1 A Community Governance Review has been carried out, in respect of the boundaries and internal wards of Stowmarket. The report recommending changes is being presented to this meeting of Council.

9.2 Throughout the course of the review we have stressed that the District Council wards cannot be altered, so for District Council purposes, Stowmarket would remain split into 3 wards, represented by 7 District Councillors.

9.3 However, if the Council approves the recommendation of the Community Governance Review Working Group, the Town Council wards will change, and will not align with the existing District Council wards.

9.4 This will not affect the electors in the Stowmarket South (District Council) ward, which will align with the new Town Council ward of Combs Ford.

9.5 However, in the Stowmarket Central (District Council) ward, electors will be voting for Town Councillors in the new Town Council wards of St Peter’s and Chilton.

9.6 In the Stowmarket North District (District Council) ward, electors will be voting for Town Councillors in the new Town Council wards of St Peter’s, Chilton and Stow Thorney.

9.7 In order to facilitate this change, the Register of Electors, when published, will be split into more sections, and an additional polling station will be designated, at NRG Fitness, Creeting Road.

9.8 Publicity will be provided, closer to Polling Day, to explain which electors will be voting at different polling stations.

Appendices

Title Location

(a) Appendix A – Schedule of Polling Districts, Attached Polling Places and Polling Stations - 2014

Authorship: Emily Yule 01449 724694 [email protected]

APPENDIX A – MID SUFFOLK DC SCHEDULE OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING STATIONS - 2014

B A C D F Recommended E Recommended Proposed Polling Polling Changes since Polling Place Returning Officer’s Comments Polling District Station Station previous review in as column C or within (A) : aligned with Electorate* at 2011 the following parish(es) (* Total electorate minus postal parish August 2014 (C) : combined polling voters) (W) : warded place Akenham (A) Claydon and Akenham Village Hall, Claydon 30 No change necessary. Akenham (C) electorate is too small to justify its own polling stations. Ashbocking (A) Ashbocking Meeting Room, Suffolk 240 No change necessary Wildlife Trust, Brooke House, The Green, Ashbocking Ashfield-cum-Thorpe Ashfield-cum-Thorpe Community Centre, 162 No change necessary (A) Ashfield-cum-Thorpe Aspall (A) Debenham and Aspall Dove Cottage, 39 High 37 No change necessary. Aspall

(C) Street, Debenham electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Athelington (A) Horham and Old School, Horham 29 No change necessary. Athelington (C) Athelington electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Bacton (A) Bacton Village Hall, Bacton 879 No change necessary

Badley (A) Needham Market and The Lounge, Needham 45 Badley electorate is too small to Badley (C) Market Community justify its own polling station. Centre, School Street, Needham Market Badwell Ash (A) Badwell Ash Village Hall, Badwell Ash 580 No change necessary.

Barham (A) Barham and Claydon Barham Scout and Guide 991 No change necessary. New polling station Hut, Kirby Rise, Barham used since 2011. Barking (A) Barking Village Hall, Barking 292 No change necessary.

Battisford (A) Battisford Village Hall, Battisford 425 No change necessary

Bedfield (A) Bedfield Bedfield Sports Pavilion, 254 No change necessary. New polling station Long Green, Bedfield used since 2011. Bedingfield (A) Bedingfield Village Hall, Bedingfield 176 No change necessary.

Beyton (A) Beyton White Horse Public 490 No change possible. Keep under House, Beyton review. Botesdale (A) Botesdale Village Hall, Botesdale 524 No change necessary

Braiseworth (A) Thorndon and Village Hall, Thorndon 50 No change necessary.

Braiseworth (C) Braiseworth electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Bramford (A) Bramford Loraine Victory Hall, 1,715 No change necessary Bramford Brome and Oakley Brome and Oakley (W) Village Hall, Brome 167/175 No change necessary. The (A) (W) (C) parishes are combined. Brundish (A) Brundish Village Hall, Brundish 143 No change necessary

Burgate (A) Burgate Church Hall, Burgate 121 No change necessary

Buxhall (A) Buxhall Village Hall, Buxhall 285 No change necessary

Claydon (A) Claydon Village Hall, Claydon 1,515 No change necessary.

Coddenham (A) Coddenham Community Sports Hall, 420 No change necessary Coddenham Combs (A) Combs and St Mary’s Church Hall, 496 No change necessary. Stowmarket South Poplar Hill, Stowmarket Cotton (A) Cotton Village Hall, Cotton 425 No change necessary

Darmsden (A) Darmsden and Village Hall, Baylham 23 No change necessary. New parish created Baylham (C) Darmsden electorate is too small in 2013. to justify its own polling station. Debenham (A) Debenham Dove Cottage, 39 High 1,484 No change necessary. Street, Debenham Denham (A) Denham Village Hall, Denham 147 No change necessary

Drinkstone (A) Drinkstone Drinkstone Village Hall, 393 No change necessary. New polling station Drinkstone used since 2012. Earl Stonham (A) Earl Stonham Village Hall, Earl 440 No change necessary Stonham Elmswell (North) (A) Elmswell The Blackbourne Centre, 593 Size of electorate justifies two Elmswell polling stations. Elmswell (South) (A) Elmswell Wesley Hall, School 1,997 Size of electorate justifies two Road, Elmswell polling stations. Eye (A) Eye Town Hall, Eye 1,477 No change necessary

Felsham (A) Felsham Village Hall, Felsham 348 No change necessary.

Finningham (A) Finningham White Horse Public 312 No change necessary St Bartholomew’s House, Finningham Church used when White Horse was not available.

Fressingfield (A) Fressingfield Sancroft Hall, 806 No change necessary Fressingfield Gedding (A) Felsham and Gedding Village Hall, Felsham 75 No change necessary. Gedding (C) electorate is too small to justify

its own polling station. Gipping (A) Old Newton and Village Hall, Old Newton 51 No change necessary. Gipping Gipping (C) electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Gislingham (A) Gislingham Village Hall, Gislingham 744 No change necessary

Gosbeck (A) Gosbeck Village Hall, Gosbeck 167 No change necessary

Great Ashfield (A) Great Ashfield Lord Thurlow Village 283 No change necessary Hall, Great Ashfield Great Blakenham (A) Great Blakenham Great Blakenham Parish 962 No change necessary New polling station Room, Stowmarket used since 2011. Road, Great Blakenham Great Bricett (A) Great Bricett Village Hall, Great Bricett 405 No change necessary

Great Finborough (A) Great Finborough Pettiward Hall, Great 582 No change necessary Finborough Harleston (A) Onehouse and Community Centre, 107 No change necessary. Harleston Harleston (C) Forest Road, Onehouse electorate is too small to justify its own polling station.

Helmingham (A) Helmingham and The Mission Hall, 105 No change necessary Framsden (C) Framsden Hemingstone (A) Hemingstone The Hut, Hemingstone 138 No change necessary

Henley (A) Henley Community Centre, 375 No change necessary Henley Hessett (A) Hessett Village Hall, Hessett 335 No change necessary

Hinderclay (A) Hinderclay Village Hall, Hinderclay 241 No change necessary

Horham (A) Horham Old School, Horham 237 No change necessary.

Hoxne (A) Hoxne St Edmunds Hall, Hoxne 604 No change necessary

Hunston (A) Stowlangtoft and Common Room, St 89 No change necessary. No Hunston (C) Georges Road, suitable venue in Hunston. Keep Stowlangtoft under review. Kenton (A) Kenton Caravan near former 149 No viable alternative to caravan. Kenton Station, Kenton Keep under review. Langham (A) Badwell Ash and Village Hall, Badwell Ash 66 No change necessary. Langham Langham (C) electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Laxfield (A) Laxfield The Village Hall, Laxfield 680 No change necessary

Little Blakenham (A) Little Blakenham Village Hall, Little 199 No change necessary Blakenham Little Finborough (A) Combs and Little St Mary’s Church Hall, 43 No change necessary. Little Finborough (C) Poplar Hill, Stowmarket Finborough electorate is too small to justify its own polling station.

Mendham (A) Mendham Mendham & Withersdale 329 No change necessary Village Hall, Mendham Mendlesham (A) Mendlesham Old School Room, 956 No change necessary Mendlesham Metfield (A) Metfield Metfield Village Hall, 333 No change necessary Skinners Lane, Metfield Mickfield (A) Mickfield Village Centre, Mickfield 147 No change necessary

Monk Soham (A) Bedfield and Monk Bedfield Sports Pavilion, 108 No change necessary. No New polling station Soham (C) Long Green, Bedfield suitable venue in Monk Soham. used since 2011.

Keep under review. Needham Market Needham Market and The Lounge, Needham 1,210 No change necessary (North) (A) Badley (C) Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market Needham Market Needham Market The Green Room, 1,916 No change necessary (South) (A) Needham Market Community Centre, School Street, Needham Market Nettlestead (A) Somersham and Village Hall, Somersham 76 No change necessary. Nettlestead (C) Nettlestead electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Norton (A) Norton Village Hall, Norton 715 No change necessary

Occold (A) Occold Occold New Village Hall, 381 No change necessary Occold Offton (A) Offton New Village Hall, Lower 274 No change necessary New polling station Coney Road, off Castle used since 2011. Road, Offton

Onehouse (A) Onehouse Community Centre, 550 No change necessary. Forest Road, Onehouse Palgrave (A) Palgrave Community Centre, 655 No change necessary Palgrave Pettaugh (A) Pettaugh St Catherine’s Church, 136 No change necessary Pettaugh Rattlesden (A) Rattlesden Village Hall, Rattlesden 612 No change necessary

Redgrave (A) Redgrave Redgrave Activities 421 No change necessary 53 Centre, Playing Field, Redgrave Redlingfield (A) Horham and Old School, Horham 80 No change necessary. Redlingfield (C) Redlingfield electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Rickinghall Inferior Rickinghall Inferior and Village Hall, Rickinghall 335 No change necessary. There is (A) Rickinghall Superior Inferior no obvious division between the (C) parishes. Rickinghall Superior Rickinghall Inferior and Village Hall, Rickinghall 598 No change necessary. There is (A) Rickinghall Superior Inferior no obvious division between the (C) parishes. Ringshall (A) Ringshall Village Hall, Ringshall 415 No change necessary

Rishangles (A) Bedingfield and Village Hall, Bedingfield 64 No change necessary. Rishangles (C) Rishangles electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Shelland (A) Onehouse and Community Centre, 36 No change necessary. Shelland Shelland (C) Forest Road, Onehouse electorate is too small to justify its own polling station.

Southolt (A) Worlingworth and Community Centre, 48 No change necessary. Southolt Southolt (C) Worlingworth electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Stoke Ash (A) Stoke Ash Village Hall, Stoke Ash 161 No change necessary.

Stonham Aspal (A) Stonham Aspal Village Hall, Stonham 401 No change necessary Aspal Stonham Parva (A) Stonham Parva Baptist Church Hall, 261 No change necessary Stonham Parva Stowlangtoft (A) Stowlangtoft Common Room, St 154 No change necessary.

Georges Road, Stowlangtoft Stowmarket Central Stowmarket Central Bowls Committee Room, 1,427 No change necessary (Part 1) (W) Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket Stowmarket Central Stowmarket Central Rookery Bowls Club, 644 No change necessary (Part 2) (W) Finborough Road, Stowmarket Stowmarket Central Stowmarket Central The Old Library, Red 943 No change necessary. (Part 3) (W) Gables, Stowmarket Stowmarket North Stowmarket North and Chilton Fields Sports 1,560 No change necessary (Part 1) (W) Onehouse Club, Chilton Way, Stowmarket Stowmarket North Stowmarket North Investigate possibility of 2,305 Bethesda Baptist Church no (Part 2) (W) using Resource Centre, longer available. Crown Street, Split this electorate between the Stowmarket, and Resource Centre and NRG NRG Fitness, Creeting Fitness. Road West

B A C D F Recommended E Recommended Proposed Polling Polling Changes since Polling Place Returning Officer’s Comments Polling District Station Station previous review in as column C or within (A) : aligned with Electorate* at 2011 the following parish(es) (* Total electorate minus postal parish August 2014 (C) : combined polling voters) (W) : warded place Stowmarket North Stowmarket North and Cedars Park Community 1,572 No change necessary. The original polling (Part 3) (W) Creeting St Peter Centre, Pintail Road, district was split. New Stowmarket polling station used in 2014. Stowmarket North Stowmarket North and Suffolk County Football 1,105 No change necessary. The original polling (Part 4) (W) Creeting St Peter Association HQ, Kestrel district was split Drive, Stowmarket because of increased electorate. Stowmarket South Stowmarket South Boys Brigade Hall, 1,604 No change necessary (Part 1) (W) Combs Ford, Stowmarket Stowmarket South Stowmarket South Milton Room, Community 1,691 No change necessary

(Part 2) (W) Centre, Hillside, Stowmarket Stowupland (A) Stowupland Village Hall, Stowupland 1,437 No change necessary

Stradbroke (A) Stradbroke Stradbroke Sports & 1,044 No change necessary Community Centre, Stradbroke Stuston (A) Stuston and Palgrave The Community Centre, 141 No change necessary (C) Palgrave

Syleham (A) Syleham Village Hall, Syleham 143 No change necessary

Tannington (A) Worlingworth and Community Centre, 71 No change necessary. Tannington (C) Worlingworth Tannington electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Thorndon (A) Thorndon Village Hall, Thorndon 476 No change necessary.

Thornham Magna (A) Thornham Magna Village Hall, Thornham 138 No change necessary. Magna

Thurston (East) (A) Thurston Cavendish Hall, Church 923 No change necessary The original polling Road, Thurston district was split because of increased electorate. Thurston (West) (A) Thurston New Green Centre, off 1,312 No change necessary The original polling Station Hill, Thurston district was split. New polling station used

since 2012. Thwaite (A) Stoke Ash and Thwaite Village Hall, Stoke Ash 103 No change necessary. No (C) suitable venue in Thwaite. Keep under review. Tostock (A) Tostock Village Hall, Tostock 349 No change necessary

Walsham-le-Willows Walsham-le-Willows Memorial Hall, Walsham- 896 No change necessary (A) le-Willows Wattisfield (A) Wattisfield Community Centre, 355 No change necessary Wattisfield Westhorpe (A) Westhorpe Village Hall, Westhorpe 147 No change necessary

Wetherden (A) Wetherden Village Hall, Wetherden 390 No change necessary

Wetheringsett-cum- Wetheringsett-cum- Village Hall, 470 No change necessary Brockford (A) Brockford Wetheringsett Weybread (A) Weybread Village Hall, Weybread 325 No change necessary

Whitton (A) Claydon and Whitton Village Hall, Claydon 65 No change necessary. Whitton (C) electorate is too small to justify its own polling stations.

Willisham (A) Barking and Willisham Village Hall, Barking 192 No change necessary. No (C) suitable venue in Willisham. Keep under review. Wingfield (A) Wingfield and Syleham Wingfield Barns (Studio 268 No change necessary. (C) 1), Church Road, Wingfield Winston (A) Debenham and Dove Cottage, 39 High 109 No change necessary. Winston Winston (C) Street, Debenham electorate is too small to justify

its own polling station. Woolpit (A) Woolpit Cathy Prior Room, 1,442 No change necessary Woolpit Village Hall, Woolpit Worlingworth (A) Worlingworth Community Centre, 576 No change necessary. Worlingworth Wortham (A) Wortham Community Centre, 561 No change necessary Wortham Wyverstone (A) Wyverstone Village Hall, Wyverstone 255 No change necessary

Yaxley (A) Yaxley Community Centre, 411 No change necessary Yaxley