Appendix B Polling District and Polling Station Review 2011 Proposals Proposals for polling districts, polling places and polling stations in the Shepway District Council area following a consultation of all electors, Parish, Town, District and County Councillors for the area, MPs, MEPs, political parties who have contested elections in the area and the Acting Returning Officer. Dylan Jeffrey Democratic Services Manager 14 November 2011 Ward: Dymchurch and St Mary’s Bay Electorate: 5,298 Postals: 974 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate FA1 2,524 2,167 Dymchurch Village Hall, Dymchurch PC Orgarswick Avenue, Dymchurch, Kent, TN29 ONX FA2 555 408 New Beach Holiday Village, Dymchurch PC Chalet 42133 Hythe Rd, Dymchurch, Kent, TN29 0JX FB 2,219 1,749 St Marys Bay Village Hall, St Mary’s Bay PC Jefferstone Lane, St Marys Bay, Romney Marsh, Kent, TN29 0SW Returning Officer’s Comments: No Changes proposed Other Comments Received: Dymchurch Parish Council : Supports current arrangements St Mary’s Bay Parish Council : Supports current arrangements Shepway District Councillors (Cllr. R Tillson, Cllr. T Mullard and Cllr. R Wilkins): Support current existing arrangements Proposal: No changes to existing geographical arrangements. To rename the Polling District names • FA1 to DSB1 • FA2 to DSB2 • FB to DSB3 Ward: Elham and Stelling Minnis Electorate: 1,786 Postals: 460 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate AA 1,292 941 New Village Hall , Elham PC High Street , Elham , Kent , CT4 6SX AB 494 385 New Village Hall , Stelling Minnis PC Bossingham Road , Stelling Minnis , Kent , CT4 6AG Returning Officer’s Comments: No Changes proposed Other Comments Received: Stelling Minnis Parish Council : Proposal to enable residents of Wheelbarrow Town, Droveway Bungalow and the Organic Nursery in Droveway to vote at New Village Hall in Stelling Minnis. Shepway District Councillors (Cllr. P Carr): Supports current existing arrangements Proposal: To rename the Polling District names AA to ESM1 and AB to ESM2 Ward: Folkestone Cheriton Electorate: 4,991 Postals: 1,121 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate BG1 2,871 2,188 All Souls Church Hall , Folkestone Somerset Rd , Cheriton ward of Folkestone , Kent , Folkestone Town CT19 4NW Council BG2 2,120 1,682 Cadet Hall , Church Folkestone Road , Folkestone , Cheriton ward of Kent , CT20 3EL Folkestone Town Council Returning Officer’s Comments: To investigate better parking provision in nearby areas and lighting issues at All Souls Church Hall. No Changes proposed Proposal: To rename the Polling District names BG1 to FCH1 and BG2 to FCH2 Ward: Folkestone East Electorate: 3,481 Postals: 617 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate BA1 1.925 1.494 Wood Avenue Folkestone East Library , Wood ward of Folkestone Avenue , Folkestone , Town Council Kent , CT19 6HS BA2 1,556 1,370 Baptist Church Hall , Folkestone East Hill Road , ward of Folkestone Folkestone , Kent , Town Council CT19 6LY Returning Officer’s Comments: The Baptist Church Hall does have some issues about the lighting and warmth of the venue. It is proposed to investigate additional lighting and temporary heating provision at future elections. Other Comments Received: Shepway District Councillor A Dunning: Recognises the difficulty for some electors, such as the elderly, disabled and those who don’t drive, in being able to access their polling station. He proposes that the Baptist Church Hall is provided with a ramp to alleviate the problem of a small step at the entrance. Folkestone Town Council : Supports the existing arrangements Proposal: To amend the existing Polling District boundaries of BA1 and BA2 to follow natural boundaries of the road at the northern point of where the two polling districts currently meet at Crete Road East and continue to the junction. No electors or properties are affected. To rename the Polling District names BA1 to FE1 and BA2 to FE2 Ward: Folkestone Foord Electorate: 3,970 Postals: 706 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed New (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Electorate BB1 1,648 1,350 Walmsley House , The Salvation Army 1,388 Folkestone Foord Princess Street , Hall , 75-79 ward of Folkestone Folkestone , Kent , Canterbury Road , Town Council CT19 6QP Folkestone , Kent , CT19 5NL BB2 1,663 1,365 The Salvation Army 1,306 Folkestone Foord Hall , 75-79 ward of Folkestone Canterbury Road , Town Council Folkestone , Kent , CT19 5NL BB3 659 549 St Johns Church Hall , 1,276 Folkestone Foord St Johns Church ward of Folkestone Road , Folkestone , Town Council Kent , CT19 5BQ Returning Officer’s Comments: The current arrangements require electors from two other areas vote at different polling stations in BB1. This results in electors being forced to walk past neighbouring area polling stations prior to casting their own vote for their area. This anomaly could be somewhat mitigated by amending the polling district boundaries to ensure electors vote at their most local polling station. Proposal: To rename BB1 to FF1, BB2 to FF2 and BB3 to FF3. To create a combine polling place at the The Salvation Army Hall , 75-79 Canterbury Road , Folkestone , Kent , CT19 5NL for FF1 and FF2. Ward: Folkestone Harbour Electorate: 3,843 Postals: 663 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate BE1 2,167 1,817 Tourist Information See below See below Folkestone Harbour Centre , Tram Road ward of Folkestone Car Park , Tram Town Council Road , Folkestone , Kent , CT20 1QN BE2 1,676 1,363 Philippa House , See below See below Folkestone Harbour Warren Road , ward of Folkestone Folkestone , Kent , Town Council CT19 6DW Returning Officer’s Comments: The current arrangements require electors in BE1 to walk a considerable distance, if they do not drive, down steep inclines to cast their vote at the former Tourist information Centre in Tram Road Car Park. This particular polling district has the lowest turnout of any in Shepway and this is a clear indication of one of the reasons why. Previously the reverse situation was true when the polling station was at the very top of the hill not making voting easier for those at the bottom when Pembroke House was utilised as a polling station until 2005. A more suitable arrangement would be to split BE1 into two enabling electors to vote at an accessible local location. Other Comments: Kent County Councillor Roland Tolputt: Does not support the use of the Tourist Information Centre on Tram Road being used as a polling station for electors in the northern part of BE1 polling district. Would like an additional polling station in the northern part of the existing polling district of BE1 near the Dover Road shopping area. Proposal: To amend the name of polling district BE2 to FH3. To amend polling district BE1 into two new polling districts, FH2 and FH3. FH1 will incorporate the southern end namely, Dyke Road, East Cliff Gardens, East Street, Elmstead Place, Fishmarket, Harbour Way, London Street, North Street, Radnor Street, Saffrons Place, St Michael’s Street, The Durlocks, The Stade, Tontine Street and the southern end of Tram Road (London Place, Sunnyside Place and Sunnyside Villas). The remainder of the properties in BE1 will create FH2 and vote at a new polling station in the polling district at Pembroke Court. This venue has previously been a polling station for elections in the Folkestone Harbour area. BE2 will be renamed FH3 New PD and Parish New Total Electorate Polling Place (e.g. a Parish Poll) FH1 941 Tourist Information Centre , Tram Road Car Park , Tram Road , Folkestone , Kent , Folkestone Harbour CT20 1QN ward of Folkestone Town Council FH2 1,226 Pembroke Court, Dover Road, Folkestone, Kent. Folkestone Harbour ward of Folkestone Town Council FH3 1,676 Philippa House , Warren Road , Folkestone , Kent , CT19 6DW Folkestone Harbour ward of Folkestone Town Council Ward: Folkestone Harvey Central Electorate: 4,480 Postals: 883 PD and Parish Total Electorate Polling Place Polling Place Proposed Change Proposed Polling (e.g. a Parish Poll) Electorate to Polling Place Place Electorate BD1 1,379 1,170 Catholic Church Hall, See below See below Folkestone Harvey Guildhall Street, Central ward of Folkestone, Kent, Folkestone Town CT20 1EF Council BD2 2,078 1,599 United Reformed, See below See below Folkestone Harvey Church Hall, Castle Central ward of Hill Avenue, Folkestone Town Folkestone, Kent, Council CT20 2QR BD3 1,023 828 7th Day Adventist See below See below Folkestone Harvey Church, The Parade, Central ward of The Bayle, Folkestone Town Folkestone, Kent, Council CT20 1SJ Returning Officer’s Comments: It is proposed to continue the use of the 7 th Day Adventist Church (numerous complaints from electors) until such time as an alternative venue is found. Once the new Folkestone Town Council Town Hall is up and running, this could be a possible venue. The streets in the lower part of BD3, by the harbour, is to be moved into a new polling district enabling electors to vote at the existing polling station at the old Tourist Information Office in Tram Road. This will enable electors not to have to negotiate steep hills with little parking and to pass a polling station for the nearby Folkestone Harbour ward when going to vote. Other Comments: Shepway District Councillor H Barker: • Supports the continued use of the United Reformed Church for BD2.