Polling Stations - 2018

APPENDIX A – BABERGH DC SCHEDULE OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING STATIONS - 2018

B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Acton (A) Acton and Long Village Hall, 1,409 No change necessary. Melford Acton Aldham (A) Aldham, Elmsett Aldham Parish 146 No change necessary but keep Polling Place Aldham Parish Room, we note that the current Within this review it is not the intention to close the and Whatfield Room, St Mary’s this under review – low recommendation is "no change necessary, but keep under polling station at Aldham but it remains an option for Churchyard, electorate and could be moved review". We endorse the need to retain this location. The Parish future elections. Aldham to Elmsett Village Hall room is centrally located within a widespread rural parish; if it were to be closed the resultant effort for residents living in the west of the parish to attend Elmsett would serve as a potential disincentive to vote. In addition, with several new houses planned in the parish over the next few years, we would hope to foster a growing sense of community which would not be helped if we lost such a visible symbol as our only polling place.

Alpheton (A) Alpheton and Village Hall, 201 No change necessary Long Melford Alpheton Assington (A) Assington, Village Hall, 322 No change necessary. Leavenheath, Assington Little Cornard and Newton Belstead (A) Belstead and Village Hall, 146 No change necessary. Wherstead Belstead Bentley (A) Bentley and Village Hall, 587 No change necessary. I note the current consultation. There is no intention to alter polling arrangements in Copdock Bentley Under new warding, Bentley will become part of a new ward – Bentley and the polling station at Bentley Village Hall Copdock and Washbrook. I also note the only proposed polling will remain. GCW explained in an email of station mentioned is the Copdock and Washbrook Village hall. 06.12.2018. In the past Bentley residents could vote at Bentley Village hall As we have a Parish Council meeting THIS EVENING I should be grateful for your urgent comment as to whether we will continue to have this as a polling station. If we lose it, I consider there will be a considerable impact on local democracy in that less mobile members of the Community will be potentially disenfranchised. As a more general point, the new ward is a geographically widely dispersed area, and this problem will apply to other Parishes e.g. Burstall and the Wenhams. Bildeston (A) Bildeston, Chamberlin Hall, 769 No change necessary. Hitcham and Bildeston Wattisham Brantham (A) Brantham Village Hall, 1,843 No change necessary. Brantham Brent Eleigh (A) Brent Eleigh, Village Hall, Brent 130 No change necessary. Monks Eleigh Eleigh and Milden

Brettenham (A) Brettenham, Village Hall, 192 No change necessary. Hitcham, Brettenham Kettlebaston and Thorpe Morieux.

polling place Boxford (A) Boxford, Village Hall, 964 No change necessary. Edwardstone Boxford and Groton

Boxted (A) Boxted, Hartest Village 83 No change necessary. Boxted Glemsford, Institute, Hartest electorate is too small to justify Hartest, its own polling stations. Stanstead and Somerton

Bures St Mary Bures St Mary Bures Community 734 No change necessary (A) and Nayland Centre, Bures St Mary Burstall (A) Burstall and Village Hall, 164 No change necessary Hintlesham Burstall Capel St Mary Capel St Mary Capel Village 2,066 No change necessary, but keep (A) Hall, Capel St an eye on electorate number. If it Mary nears the 2,500 Electoral Commission threshold then may need to find a second polling station or run two polling stations in the same location Chattisham (A) Chattisham, Hintlesham 125 No change necessary. Copdock Community Hall, Chattisham electorate is too &Washbrook Hintlesham small to justify its own polling and Hintlesham station. Chelmondiston Chelmondiston Village Hall, 800 No change necessary (A) and Chelmondiston Woolverstone Chelsworth (A) Chelsworth, Village Hall, 98 Previously electors in Lindsey, Kersey Lindsey Chelsworth voted in Monks and Semer Eleigh, but following LGBCE changes those parishes are in different wards. Hence Chelsworth voters will now go to Lindsey. Chilton (A) Chilton and The White Horse 278 No change necessary but keep Great Inn, Great under review. Current Polling Waldingfield Waldingfield Station is at The White Horse PH (Great Waldingfield) which is not ideal. May be an option to combine with Great Waldingfield

Cockfield (A) Cockfield and Village Hall, 638 No change necessary Lavenham Cockfield

Copdock and Copdock & Village Hall, 819 No change necessary Washbrook(A) Washbrook, Copdock and Bentley, Washbrook Chattisham and Wenham Parva B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place East Bergholt East Bergholt The Club House, 337 No change necessary. Size of (East) (A) and Brantham The Grange electorate justifies two polling Country Park, stations. Straight Road, East Bergholt East Bergholt East Bergholt The Lambe 1,738 No change necessary. Size of (West) (A) and Brantham School, East electorate justifies two polling Bergholt stations. Edwardstone Edwardstone, Parish Hall, 287 No change necessary (A) Boxford and Edwardstone Groton and Milden Elmsett (A) Aldham, Elmsett Elmsett and 585 No change necessary. and Whatfield Aldham Village Hall, Elmsett Erwarton(A) Erwarton and Shotley Village 93 No change necessary. Erwarton Shotley Hall, Shotley electorate is too small to justify its own polling station.

Freston (A) Freston, The Berners Hall, 104 The electorate of Freston is too So BDC waits until just before X-mas when PC's are not At the two elections in 2016 the number of voters at Woolverstone Woolverstone small to justify continued use of meeting to have this consultation! the polling station in Freston was 19 and 78. The cost and Wherstead dedicated polling station and it is to the public purse of hiring a venue and employing recommended that Freston You know quite well that the road from Freston to Woolverstone two staff for over 15 hours to attend to an average of electors should vote at does not have a pavement or verge to walk on. There are many one to five voters per hour cannot be ignored. There Woolverstone. accidents at Freston x-roads. Some people in Freston do not is of course a case to be made for local democracy have cars! but also a point at which that is outweighed by costs. There are now no restrictions on who can obtain a We had all this the last time. We explained that the road to postal vote or a proxy vote so there are always Woolverstone is not safe to walk on. Perhaps BDC CEO would options available to those who are unable to attend a like to join me trying out the route, with me on a motability polling station scooter, along the B1456 to Woolverstone. FYI I am not the only person that uses a motability scooter in Freston.

If you wish I will sent you the file on Freston x-roads that went to the Department of Transport. Thank you for your e-mail. See above comment In my first e-mail I put that it was unsafe to walk to Woolverstone. I would like to add that it is also unsafe to get on and off the bus at the x-roads. I have attached the Inspectors report 2006: see Section 124 on page 24 of The Inspector’s Conclusions dated 24th May 2006. Since 2006 our Bus Shelter has been run into on more than one occasion and there is more traffic going through that junction. If you require any further information please let me know. Glemsford (A) Glemsford, Village Hall, 2,683 Polling station electorate is over Boxted and Glemsford Electoral Commission tolerance. Stanstead No other building available, so continue with two polling stations in the Village Hall. B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Great Cornard Great Cornard The Stevenson 1,909 No change necessary. Size of Dear Elections Team. I fully support your view regarding Pot The suggestion is to have two polling stations at The (North) Part 1 (all Wards) Centre electorate justifies two polling Kiln School Not being used as a polling station for future Old School. This is feasible as there are three (W) Great Cornard stations. elections, particularly after the confusion and difficulties that suitable rooms at The Old School, it is a question of voters and staff had there at the last election. I feel now that we whether voters would be better served by visiting The only need to have one Polling Station Centre for the whole of Old School or the Rugby Club. On balance it is Great Cornard and that should be at the Stevenson Centre recommended that the polling station at the rugby which has been refurbished and has extra room’s added, now club is retained, this offers a more convenient polling available, also improved the car parking plus a disabled parking station for the majority of voters in the Great Cornard area. It would cut down the cost of staff time and save money South (2) polling district i.e. the vicinity of Grantham for running 4 polling centres. If we do have to have a second Avenue, Moorsfield, Lower Reeve etc. polling station here in Great Cornard, then it should be at the Old School only. Councillor Peter Beer County and District Member for Great Cornard B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place I am writing on behalf of South Suffolk Conservative Association, and write with particular regard to the polling Regarding the use of The Old School in Wells Hall station arrangements for Great Cornard parish. Road, the electorate would be too large for a single polling station so it is a question of whether it would First Preference be feasible and convenient to operate a second polling station from the one locality. The Association supports the initial recommendations for Great Cornard (North) Part 1 (W) and Great Cornard (North Part 2 See above comments re the old school v the Rugby (W) polling districts both being located at the Stevenson Centre. Club This is justified both in terms of cost and reflects the recently increased car parking capacity at the Centre. Given the latter, we would also suggest that the two southern polling districts poll at the Stevenson Centre on the basis of further savings and adequate capacity.

Second Preference

If our proposal for amendment above cannot be accommodated, while we would also agree that the Great Cornard (South) Part 1 (W) district polls at The Old School, Wells Hall Road, we would also recommend that Great Cornard (South) Part 2 (W) also polls at the The Old School rather than the Rugby Club. This would, in fact, see a similar number of voters being eligible to vote at the Old School as that of the Stevenson Centre (on August 2018 electoral figures) with 3,250 and 3,151 respectively. Once again, this would provide savings and effective local access. I hope you will consider our recommendations for minor amendment on your initial proposals. If you require further discussions with us, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Thank you for your follow-up and giving due consideration to our proposals.

Forgive me if I was vague in my earlier submission, but we were proposing that multiple polling stations (specifically two) be operated in separate rooms within the Old School. I believe something similar operated in Needham Market at the recent Bosmere Division By-election for Suffolk County Council, albeit under the remit of Mid Suffolk.

Hope this provides additional clarity. Great Cornard Great Cornard The Stevenson 1,242 No change necessary. Size of Suitable, in the centre of the village and with more houses being No response required (North) Part 2 (all Wards) Centre, Great electorate justifies two polling built it will be big enough to accommodate more people (W) Cornard stations.

polling place Great Cornard Great Cornard The Old School, 2,381 No change necessary, but keep (South) Part 1 (all Wards) Wells Hall Road, an eye on electorate number. If it (W) Great Cornard nears the 2,500 Electoral Commission threshold then may need to find a second polling station or run two polling stations in the same location.

Great Cornard Great Cornard Sudbury Rugby 869 No change necessary (South) Part 2 (all Wards) Club, Spicer Way, (W) Great Cornard Great Great Village Hall, 1,198 No change necessary. But Waldingfield (A) Waldingfield, Great consideration to be given to Little Waldingfield moving Chilton electorate to Gt Waldingfield, Waldingfield village hall Chiton and Lavenham Groton (A) Groton, Boxford, Village Hall, 193 No change necessary. Edwardstone Groton and Milden

Hadleigh (North) Hadleigh (All Clubhouse, Two polling stations will be unsuitable, it has been a good local polling station but with The old Babergh DC offices will no longer be Part 1 Wards) Hadleigh Cricket required in Hadleigh North and plans to convert and build on the former council offices site I available. As stated in the report the recommendation Club three in Hadleigh South. The presume that access to the building will not be possible is to move this electorate to a new polling station at Clubhouse at the Cricket Club Hadleigh Cricket Club, Friars Lane will replace the Polling Station in old Babergh District Council I presume Corks Lane? – I’m not sure if I am on my own but am Poll cards will advise which polling station to visit. Poll Offices totally confused as to which polling station we are expected to cards are always issued for National elections and attend. Problem overcome by postal vote, but wonder if other referenda, County Council and District Council have the same problem. elections. Confusion can occur at Town and Parish Council by-elections if the Town/Parish in question decides not to issue poll cards. This was the case in Hadleigh during the summer of 2018 and, coupled with the unavailability of some polling stations, led to confusion as to which polling station electors should attend. The Corks Lane offices will not be used, it is recommended that we use the pavilion at the Cricket Club

Hadleigh (North) Hadleigh (All St Joseph’s Two polling stations will be Town Hall unsuitable I live next to the town hall/guildhall polling Unless every polling station is at the centre of its Part 2 Wards) Catholic Church, required in Hadleigh North and station yet I have to walk to Catholic Church at the top end of polling district then there will always be cases where Long Bessels, three in Hadleigh South. St the town some electors will have much further to travel than Hadleigh Josephs will continue as one of others. There will be instances where polling stations the Hadleigh North Polling are close to the boundary of the polling district or Stations even in a neighbouring polling district. This elector is currently close to one of the Hadleigh South polling stations but lives in the Hadleigh North district and hence votes at a polling station that is further away than one in Hadleigh South. It may well be the case that, following the Boundary Commission changes, they will now vote in Hadleigh South

polling place Hadleigh Hadleigh (All The Dining Two polling stations will be Town Hall unsuitable I live next to the town hall/guildhall polling Unless every polling station is at the centre of its (South) Part 1 Wards) Room, The Town required in Hadleigh North and station yet I have to walk to Catholic Church at the top end of polling district then there will always be cases where Hall, Market three in Hadleigh South. The the town some electors will have much further to travel than Place, Hadleigh Town Hall will continue as one of others. There will be instances where polling stations the Hadleigh South Polling are close to the boundary of the polling district or Stations even in a neighbouring polling district. This elector is currently close to one of the Hadleigh South polling stations but lives in the Hadleigh North district and hence votes at a polling station that is further away than one in Hadleigh South. It may well be the case that, following the Boundary Commission changes, they will now vote in Hadleigh South

Hadleigh Hadleigh (All The Community Two polling stations will be (South) Part 2 Wards) Room, URC required in Hadleigh North and Church, Market three in Hadleigh South. The Place, Hadleigh Community Room will be a new polling station in Hadleigh South.

Hadleigh Hadleigh (All Hadleigh Pool Two polling stations will be Uses Hadleigh Pool & Leisure Centre - Unsuitable, poorly Poll cards advise as to which polling station an (South) Part 3 Wards) and Leisure required in Hadleigh North and signed, not obviously signed to which ward votes where individual elector should visit. There is only the one Centre, three in Hadleigh South. The polling station at the Leisure Centre. Comments re. Stonehouse Leisure Centre will continue as signage noted, it is some distance from the far end of Road, Hadleigh one of the Hadleigh South the car park to the Leisure Centre and perhaps Polling Stations. additional external signage is required

Harkstead (A) Harkstead and Village Hall, 219 No change necessary. Holbrook Harkstead Hartest (A) Hartest, Boxted, Hartest Village 339 No change necessary. Lawshall, Institute, Hartest Shimpling and Somerton Higham (A) Higham, Stratford St Mary 94 No change necessary. Higham Stratford St Village Institute, electorate is too small to justify Mary, Holton St Stratford St Mary its own polling station. Mary and Raydon Hintlesham (A) Hintlesham, Hintlesham 456 No change necessary. Hintlesham suitable with good parking and central location No response required Burstall and Community Hall, Chattisham Hintlesham Hitcham (A) Hitcham, Village Hall, 493 Electorate of Kettlebaston Brettenham, Hitcham moved to Hitcham Bildeston, Kettlebaston and Wattisham Holbrook (A) Holbrook, Village Hall, 1,267 No change necessary. Harkstead and Holbrook Stutton B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Holton St Mary Holton St Mary, Village Hall, 163 No change necessary. (A) Higham, Holton St Mary Stratford St Mary and Raydon Kersey(A) Kersey, Lindsey Village Hall, 235 No change necessary. and Semer Kersey Kettlebaston (A) Kettlebaston, Village Hall, 57 Electorate of Kettlebaston is too Brettenham, Hitcham small to justify continued use of Hitcham and dedicated polling station and it is Preston St Mary recommended that electors in Kettlebaston should vote at Hitcham.

Lavenham (A) Lavenham, Village Hall, 1,360 No change necessary. Cockfield and Lavenham Great Waldingfield Lawshall (A) Lawshall, Village Hall, 709 No change necessary. Shimpling and Lawshall Hartest Layham (A) Layham, Village Hall, 389 No change necessary. Polstead, Layham Raydon and Shelley Leavenheath (A) Leavenheath Village Hall, 995 No change necessary. and Assington Leavenheath Lindsey (A) Lindsey, Village Hall, 149 No change necessary. Suitable easy accessible No response required Chelsworth, Lindsey Kersey and Semer Little Cornard Little Cornard, Village Hall, Little 237 No change necessary (A) Assington and Cornard Newton Little Little Little Waldingfield 303 No change necessary. Waldingfield (A) Waldingfield, Parish Room, Great Little Waldingfield Waldingfield and Lavenham Long Melford Long Melford, The Old School, 1,352 No change necessary. Size of (North) (A) Acton and The Green, Long electorate justifies two polling Alpheton Melford stations. Long Melford Long Melford, URC Hall, Hall 1,286 No change necessary. Size of (South) (A) Acton and Street, Long electorate justifies two polling Alpheton Melford stations. Milden (A) Milden, Brent Coronation Hall, 88 Milden electorate too small to Eleigh, Monks Eleigh justify polling station in its own Edwardstone, right. It is recommended that Groton and electors in Milden vote in Monks Monks Eleigh Eleigh

polling place Monks Eleigh Monks Eleigh, Coronation Hall, 361 No change necessary. Adequate parking can be difficult very small car park and uphill. GW visited 7.1.2019. The new village hall would be (A) Brent Eleigh and Monks Eleigh Electorate for Chelsworth moved Perhaps use new village hall suitable for use. Ample parking, disabled access and Milden from Monks Eleigh to Lindsey as good facilities. However, it is at the very edge of the Monks Eleigh and Lindsey are village, at the top of Church Hill. If the existing facility now in separate Wards were unsuitable then I would have no hesitation in changing the location to the village hall. But given that the URC chapel is acceptable and central to the village and given that there are many necessary changes elsewhere in the district, for the moment it is recommended to continue with the URC as the Monks Eleigh polling station. The village hall though is definitely an option for the future

Nayland with Nayland-with- Nayland Village 801 No change necessary. Suitable with parking and walkable No response required Wissington (A) Wissington, Hall, Nayland with Bures St Mary Wissington and Stoke-by- Nayland Nedging with Nedging with Village Hall, 302 No change necessary. Naughton (A) Naughton, Nedging with Chelsworth, Naughton Semer and Whatfield Newton (A) Newton, Village Hall, 372 No change necessary. Assington and Newton Little Cornard Pinewood Sproughton and Pinewood 2,139 No change necessary, but keep (North West) (A) Pinewood Community Hall, an eye on electorate number. If it Laburnum Close, nears the 2,500 Electoral Pinewood Commission threshold then may need to find a second polling station or run two polling stations in the same location.

Pinewood Sproughton and Belstead Brook 813 No change necessary (South East) (A) Pinewood Hotel, Ipswich

Polstead (A) Polstead, Village Hall, 657 No change necessary. Layham and Polstead Shelley Preston St Mary Preston St Village Hall, 164 No change necessary (A) Mary, Preston St Mary Brettenham, Kettlebaston and Thorpe Morieux Raydon (A) Raydon, Holton Village Hall, 405 No change necessary St Mary, Raydon Layham and Shelley B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Semer (A) Semer Kersey, Village Hall, 100 The Semer electorate is too Unsuitable, no polling station offered to 100 residents of Semer. The polling station at Semer will remain as per Lindsey, Semer small to justify a polling station in THIS IS NON-DEMOCRATIC AND NOT ACCETABLE. (sic) previous elections. I have commented that the Nedging-with- it’s own right but no simple electorate (100) is too small to justify an individual Naughton and alternative is available. To polling station but that no simple alternative is Whatfield remain under review. available. To remain under review. It should indeed remain under review. At the two elections in 2016 the number of voters at the polling station was 28 and 77. The cost to the public purse of hiring a venue and employing two staff for over 15 hours to attend to an average of two to five voters per hour cannot be ignored. There is of course a case to be made for local democracy but also a point at which that is outweighed by costs. There are now no restrictions on who can obtain a postal vote or a proxy vote so there are always options available to those who are unable to attend a polling station

Shelley (A) Shelley Layham, Village Hall, 37 No change necessary. Shelley Polstead and Raydon electorate is too small to justify Raydon. its own polling station.

Shimpling (A) Shimpling, Village Hall, 318 No change necessary. Hartest, Shimpling Lawshall and Stanstead Shotley (A) Shotley and Village Hall, 1,697 No change necessary suitable the village hall is central No response required Erwarton Shotley Somerton (A) Somerton, Hartest Village 67 No change necessary. Somerton Boxted and Institute, Hartest electorate is too small to justify Hartest (C) its own polling station. Sproughton (A) Sproughton and Tithe Barn, Lower 935 No change necessary. Suitable - Sproughton Parish Council support the RO proposal No response required Pinewood Street, for using Tithe Barn Sproughton Suitable, good parking and easy access No response required

Stratford St Stratford St Stratford St Mary 524 No change necessary. Mary (A) Mary, Holton St Village Institute, Mary and Stratford St Mary Higham Stanstead (A) Stanstead, Stanstead 268 No change necessary. Boxted, Community Glemsford and Centre, Shimpling Stanstead Stoke by Stoke-by- Village Hall, 497 No change necessary. Nayland(A) Nayland and Stoke by Nayland Nayland-with- Wissington

Stutton (A) Stutton and Stutton 640 No change necessary. Holbrook Community Hall, Stutton

polling place Sudbury (North- Sudbury (All Elizabeth Court, No change necessary The Delphi centre May well be sold soon and not be available , Enquiries have been made of the Delphi centre and it East) Part 1 (W) Wards) East Street, also not that accessible , may need to consider alternative definitely available for the May 2019 elections. Sudbury station , such as South Suffolk Business centre ?

Sudbury (North- Sudbury (All Woodhall School, No change necessary Adequate - my postcode is CO10 1WG and I live 200 metres The Boundary Commission changes in Sudbury will East) Part 2 (W) Wards) Mayflower Way, away from a different polling station (woodhall Primary) to the mean that many voters will now go to new, or Sudbury one I am always sent to which is nearly 2km away. While it's nor different, polling stations. In this particular case the a problem for me, my elderly/disabled neighbours find it difficult. elector will probably be in Sudbury North East and it Both location are great but the geography of how folks are sent is likely that they will now indeed vote at Woodhall is daft. Primary School. However, one has to acknowledge that unless every polling station is at the centre of its polling district then there will always be cases where some electors will have much further to travel than others. There will be instances where polling stations are close to the boundary of the polling district or in a neighbouring polling district.

Sudbury (North- Sudbury (All St John’s No change necessary Suitable location is absolutely fine No response required West) Part 1 Wards) Methodist (W) Church, York Road/Girling Suitable close enough and eay to get to No response required Street, Sudbury

Sudbury (North- Sudbury (All Vocational No change necessary West) Part 2 Wards) Centre, Ormiston (W) Sudbury Academy, Tudor Road, Sudbury

Sudbury (South- Sudbury (All The Delphi A new polling station as The My concern is that it may not make sense to have polling Poll cards will be issued, which will advise as to which East) Part 1 (W) Wards) Centre, Firs, Waldingfield Road is no stations for wards outside of the ward of the voter. Eg: Sudbury polling station an elector should attend. Where Alexandra Road, longer available. South East voters should have a polling station in Sudbury possible this will be within the polling district, but the Sudbury. South East, not Sudbury South West. It may confuse voters as availability of venues will determine whether this is Sudbury (South- Sudbury (All The Mayor’s No change necessary well as suggest they have further to go in some instances. the case. East) Part 2 (W) Wards) Parlour Sudbury Town Hall Sudbury (South- Sudbury (All Kingfisher Leisure No change necessary -West) Part 1 Wards) Centre (W) Station Road Sudbury

Sudbury (South- Sudbury (All The Nursery, St It is planned to replace this West) Part 2 Wards) Gregory’s polling station with The Pavilion (W) Primary School, at Sudbury Cricket Club, Quay Sudbury Lane, Sudbury but this is pending the agreement of the Cricket Club Committee.

Tattingstone (A) Tattingstone Village Hall, 405 No change necessary. and Wherstead Tattingstone B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Thorpe Morieux Thorpe Morieux, Village Hall, 184 No change necessary (A) Brettenham and Thorpe Morieux Preston St Mary Wattisham (A) Wattisham, Chamberlin Hall 88 Electorate of Wattisham is too Unsuitable, the polling station should never have been moved This comment is mainly in relation to a previous Bildeston and Bildeston small to justify continued use of to Strct Baptist Chapel from previous location (Maple Down - decision to move the Wattisham polling station from a Hitcham a dedicated polling station and it Residential). It is less central location in the village, means the private residence to the school room at the Baptist is recommended that Wattisham majority of villagers are now further away from the polling Church. However, the current recommendation is to electors should vote in Bildeston station. This was a change that didn't need to happen. I wrote to move the polling station out of Wattisham parish and BDC on 18th May 2017 expressing my opinion on this. for voters to go to the Chamberlin Hall in Bildeston. At the two elections in 2016, the number of voters visiting the Wattisham polling station was 24 and 61. It is a question of balancing local democracy against the public purse. Hiring a venue and employing two staff for in excess of 15 hours to attend to an average of 2 to 4 voters per hour is an expense which it is difficult to justify. There are now no restrictions on who is entitled to a postal vote or who is entitled to a proxy vote. Hence if one is unable to attend the polling station in person then there are readily available options for exercising the right to vote. In these circumstances the expense of running a polling station at Wattisham is not justified.

Wenham Magna Wenham Village Hall, 102 Due to a change in Ward (A) Magna, Copdock and boundaries Wenham voters can Wenham Parva, Washbrook no longer go to Capel St Mary. Copdock & Hence it is proposed that Washbrook and electors in Wenham Magna now Hintlesham vote in Copdock

Wenham Parva Wenham Parva, Village Hall, 29 Due to a change in Ward (A) Wenham Magna Copdock and boundaries Wenham voters can and Copdock & Washbrook no longer go to Capel St Mary. Washbrook Hence it is proposed that electors in Wenham Parva now vote in Copdock

Whatfield (A) Whatfield, Village Hall, 262 No change necessary. I am writing on behalf of Whatfield Parish Council Irrelevant - relates to Neighbourhood Planning Aldham, Whatfield Neighbourhood Plan Working Group as we would like to get the Elmsett, latest Register of Electors for Whatfield please. Nedging-with- Naughton and We need this in order to ensure we involve every member of the Semer community in this, for them to have their say.

Wherstead (A) Wherstead, Village Hall, 229 No change necessary. Belstead, Wherstead Freston and Tattingstone Woolverstone Woolverstone, The Berners Hall, 168 No change necessary Freston electorate moved to Woolverstone (A) Chelmondiston Woolverstone and Freston B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place GENERAL Looking at the option of combining electorates from the smaller parishes in not a new concept. I can understand that many of the smaller parishes feel this is an attempt to remove a facility from their village but it is more a case of taking a common sense approach to the running of an election. The costs to the public purse have to be considered and where one hires a premises and employs two staff to sit in a polling station where they may see an average of 5 people per hour over the course of 15 hours has to be questioned. They are, to all intents and purposes unemployed for 90% of the time. The following parishes already vote elsewhere - Akenham, Aspall, Athelington, Badley, Braiseworth, Darmsden, Gedding, Gipping, Harleston, Helmingham, Hunston, Langham, Little Finborough, Monk Soham, Nettlestead, Redlingfield, Rishangles, Shelland, Southolt, Stuston, Tannington, Thornham Parva, Thwaite, Winston, Boxted, Chattisham, Chelsworth, Erwarton, Higham, Shelley, Somerton, Wenham Magna, Wenham Parva

One also has to adapt to circumstances - it is no longer acceptable to appoint staff to a polling station that is cold, dark or lacking in facilities. One should also look for a venue that is quiet, neutral and accessible, and hence we should be looking to remove polling stations from venues such as public houses, private dwellings and caravans. That which was once perceived as quaint or quirky may no longer be considered suitable for use. B D Recommended A C Polling Polling Place E Recommended Proposed Station F as column C or Returning Officer’s Comments G Polling District Polling Station Electorate* Consultation Comments within the R.O. Additional Comments (A) : aligned at following (* Total electorate minus postal with parish August parish(es) voters) (W) : warded 2018 (C) : combined

polling place Disability Forum A member of staff visited the January meeting of the Mid Suffolk Disability Forum to advise that the polling station review was taking place and to enquire as to any problems that voters with disabilities faced at the polling stations.

No specific issues were raised but it was requested that the forum members disseminate the information to any other interested parties within their sphere of influence.

It was also an opportunity to highlight the facts that postal and proxy votes were now available to any person, and that a companion is permitted to assist a person with a disability when casting their vote. It was highlighted that the staff in the polling station are also permitted to assist a person with a disability and the forum felt that this could perhaps be made clearer – e.g. a poster stating that if you need help with the voting process then please ask a member of staff.

Following the meeting, communications are ongoing with an advocacy group in Mid Suffolk to consider how those with learning disabilities can be assisted through the voting process