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BABERGH DISTRICT COUNCIL From: Head of Corporate Organisation Report Number: P82 To: Council Date of meeting: 16 December 2014 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 to Council 2.1 That the Polling Districts and Polling Places as listed in Appendix A to this report be adopted. 2.2 That the Polling Stations proposed by the Returning Officer as listed in Appendix A to this report be noted. 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. 1 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. Small Electorates 9.1 The cost of setting up a polling station is at least £500. In the past, some small electorates have been combined with larger electorates at the same polling station, in order to reduce costs. 9.2 When the review was commenced, it was therefore recommended that consideration be given to combining the small parishes of Aldham, Freston, Kettlebaston, Milden and Wattisham, where the polling station electorate is below 100, with larger neighbouring parishes. 9.3 This proposal has, however, caused considerable concern about the accessibility of the polling stations, and therefore no action will be taken in respect of these parishes. 10. Appendices Title Location Appendix A – Schedule of Polling Districts, Polling Attached Places and Polling Stations - 2014 Authorship: Emily Yule Tel. 01449 724694 Corporate Manager - Elections and Electoral Email: [email protected] Management J:\DOCS\Committee\REPORTS\COUNCIL\2014\161214-BDC Polling District Places Stations Review.docx 2 APPENDIX A – BABERGH 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 Acton (A) Acton Village Hall, Acton 1,362 No change necessary. Aldham (A) Aldham Aldham Parish Room, St 139 No change necessary. Proposal Previously used a Mary’s Churchyard, to combine with Elmsett has Caravan. New polling Aldham been ruled out following station used since consultation. 2012. Alpheton (A) Alpheton Village Hall, Alpheton 181 No change necessary Assington (A) Assington Village Hall, Assington 292 No change necessary. Belstead (A) Belstead Village Hall, Belstead 160 No change necessary. Bentley (A) Bentley Village Hall, Bentley 566 No change necessary. Bildeston (A) Bildeston Chamberlin Hall, 738 No change necessary. Bildeston Brantham (A) Brantham Village Hall, Brantham 1,862 No change necessary. Brent Eleigh (A) Brent Eleigh Village Hall, Brent Eleigh 122 No change necessary. Brettenham (A) Brettenham Village Hall, Brettenham 191 No change necessary. Boxford (A) Boxford Village Hall, Boxford 921 No change necessary. Boxted (A) Boxted, Hartest and Hartest Village Institute, 80 No change necessary. Boxted Previously used Somerton (C) Hartest electorate is too small to justify Street Farm Barn. its own polling station. New polling station used since 2012. Bures St Mary (A) Bures St Mary Bures Community 690 No change necessary Centre, Bures St Mary Burstall (A) Burstall Village Hall, Burstall 153 No change necessary 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 Capel St Mary (A) Capel St Mary, Capel Village Hall, Capel 2,075 No change possible. Wenham Parva and St Mary Wenham Magna (C) Chattisham (A) Chattisham and Hintlesham Community 116 No change necessary. Hintlesham (C) Hall, Hintlesham Chattisham electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Chelmondiston (A) Chelmondiston Village Hall, 787 No change necessary Chelmondiston Chelsworth (A) Chelsworth and Monks Coronation Hall, Monks 96 No change necessary. Eleigh (C) Eleigh Chelsworth electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Chilton (A) Chilton, Great The White Horse Inn, 277 Consideration has been given to All Saints Middle Waldingfield and Great Waldingfield changing to new Community School closed. The Sudbury (C) Health Centre, Chilton, however White Horse Inn, this venue has no suitable Great Waldingfield accommodation for elections in used in 2014. 2015. Keep under review for future elections. Cockfield (A) Cockfield Village Hall, Cockfield 641 No change necessary Copdock and Copdock and Village Hall, Copdock 829 No change necessary Washbrook(A) Washbrook and Washbrook East Bergholt (East) East Bergholt and Brantham Methodist 302 No change necessary. Size of Previously used The (A) Brantham (C) Church, Brantham electorate justifies two polling General Stores. New stations. polling station used since 2012. East Bergholt (West) East Bergholt The Lambe School, East 1,666 No change necessary. Size of (A) Bergholt electorate justifies two polling stations. Edwardstone (A) Edwardstone Parish Hall, Edwardstone 270 No change necessary 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 Elmsett (A) Elmsett and Aldham Elmsett and Aldham 566 No change necessary. (C) Village Hall, Elmsett Erwarton(A) Erwarton and Shotley Shotley Village Hall, 85 No change necessary. Erwarton (C) Shotley electorate is too small to justify its own polling station. Freston (A) Freston Village Hall, Freston 87 No change necessary. Proposal to combine with Woolverstone has been ruled out following consultation. Glemsford (A) Glemsford Village Hall, Glemsford 2,564 Polling station electorate is over Electoral Commission tolerance. No other building available, so set up two polling stations in Village Hall. Great Cornard Great Cornard Pot Kiln School, Great 1,984 No change necessary. Size of Previously used The (North) Part 1 (W) Cornard electorate justifies two polling Stevenson Centre. stations. New polling station used since 2013. Great Cornard Great Cornard The Stevenson Centre, 1,126 No change necessary. Size of (North) Part 2 (W) Great Cornard electorate justifies two polling stations. Great Cornard Great Cornard The Old School, Wells 2,342 No change necessary. Size of Previously used The (South) Part 1 (W) Hall Road, Great electorate justifies two polling Stevenson Centre. Cornard stations. New polling station used since 2012. Great Cornard Great Cornard Sudbury Rugby Club, 867 No change necessary. Size of Previously used The (South) Part 2 (W) Spicer Way, Great electorate justifies two polling Stevenson Centre. Cornard stations. New polling station used since 2012. Great Waldingfield Great Waldingfield Village Hall, Great 1,186 No change necessary. (A) Waldingfield Groton (A) Groton Village Hall, Groton 187 No change necessary. 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 Hadleigh (North) Part Hadleigh Council Offices, Corks 848 No change necessary. Size of Electorate split and 1 (W) Lane, Hadleigh