Agenda Item No: 5 Report To: Selection & Constitutional Review Committee Date of Meeting: 10th October 2019 Report Title: Review of Parliamentary Polling Districts and Places 2019 Report Author & Paul Libreri - Electoral Services Manager Job Title: Portfolio Holder Cllr Paul Bartlett Portfolio Holder for: Legal & Democratic The purpose of this report is to review the proposals arising Summary: from the 2019 statutory review of parliamentary polling districts and places. A public consultation on the proposed polling districts and places was held in the period beginning Monday 1st July 2019. Significantly All borough wards. Affected Wards: Recommendations: That the Selection & Constitutional Review Committee adopt the polling districts as set out in Appendix 1 of the report. That where a polling place is within the ward that the entire ward is designated as being the polling place. That where a polling station is located outside the ward that the entire ward and the polling station building is designated as being the polling place. Background List of Proposed Polling Districts and Places attached Papers: as Appendix 1. List responses to the consultation attached as Appendix 2. Ward maps and list of streets by ward and polling station are available at: https://www.ashford.gov.uk/councillors-meetings-and- Contact: elections/elections-and-electoral-registration/polling- districts-and-polling-places-review-2019/ Paul Libreri – Electoral Services Manager [email protected] – Tel: (01233)330462 Agenda Item No. 5 Report Title: Review of Parliamentary Polling Districts and Places 2019 Introduction and Background 1. It is the duty of the council of each district or London Borough to divide their area into polling districts for the purpose of UK parliamentary elections for so much of any constituency as is situated in their area and to keep those districts under review. 2. Section 18C of the Representation of the People Act 1983 requires every local authority to conduct a full review of parliamentary polling districts and places every five years. The current review must be completed by 31st January 2020. Proposal/Current Position 3. An interim review of polling districts and places was undertaken in 2018 to reflect the changes to ward and parish boundaries that came into force in advance of the 2019 borough and parish elections. 4. The Selection & Constitutional Review Committee adopted the current scheme of polling districts and polling places in October 2018 5. The current polling districts and places were in place for the borough and parish elections on 2 May 2019 and the European Parliamentary elections on 23rd May 2019. 6. The report proposes only one change to the current arrangements. 7. The proposed change is to relocate the polling station for polling district AE2 – South Willesborough, in Aylesford & East Stour Ward, from its current location at the Salvation Army Hall, 115 Cudworth Road TN24 0BE to the Swan Community Centre, Turner Close TN24 0BE. 8. Cllr David Smith (Aylesford & East Stour) proposed the change of venue. Cllr Smith suggested that the lack of adequate parking at the Salvation Army Hall resulted in congestion for electors and inconvenience for residents on polling day. He also suggested that having both stations at the Swan Centre would make better use of a good community resource. 9. In the polling districts listed in the table below, it has not been possible to find a suitable location for a polling station within the polling district or ward. The Selection and Constitution Committee are requested to designate each ward as the polling place and to designate the following polling places located outside of the ward as polling places for the polling districts listed: Polling District Ward Designated Polling Place AE3-Aylesford Green Aylesford & East Stour The Scout Hut, Breadlands Road BY2 - The Ridge Bybrook Spearpoint Pavilion, The Ridge CL1 - Little Burton Farm Conningbrook and Little Burton Farm Conningbrook Hotel, Canterbury Road DW2 - Eastwell (Part) The Downs West Goat Lees Community Hall, Trinity Road Towers DW4 - Boughton Aluph (Part) Downs West Goat Lees Community Hall, Trinity Road The Towers GL2 - Kennington North Goat Lees United Reformed Methodist Church, Faversham Road, GL2X Grosvenor Road Goat Lees United Reformed Methodist Church, Faversham Road, PFN1 - Park Farm North Park Farm North Kingsnorth Recreation Centre, Field View RTW1-Tenterden West Rolvenden & Tenterden West St Mildred`s Church Hall, Church Road ROM1 - Westhawk Roman Mobile Polling Station, Millbank Road, Adjacent To Augustus Walk ROM2 - The Limes Roman Mobile Polling Station, Millbank Road, Adjacent To Augustus Walk SGW1 - Singleton West Singleton West Singleton Village Hall, Hoxton Close WA1 - Singleton South Washford Singleton Village Hall, Hoxton Close Consultation Planned or Undertaken 10. A public consultation on the interim review of polling districts and polling places was held from Monday 1st July 2019 to Monday 2nd September 2019. Notice of the review and details of the proposed polling districts and polling stations were made available to all Members and were published on the Ashford Borough Council website at: https://www.ashford.gov.uk/councillors-meetings-and- elections/elections-and-electoral-registration/polling-districts-and-polling-places-review-2019/ 11. Responses to and acknowledgements of receipt of the consultation documents are attached as Appendix 2. Reasons for Supporting Option Recommended 12. The Selection & Constitutional Review Committee adopted the current scheme of polling districts and polling places as recently as October 2018 13. The current polling districts and places worked for the borough and parish elections on 2 May 2019 and the European Parliamentary elections on 23rd May 2019. 14. The number of venues available for use as polling stations is limited and the proposed arrangements make the best use of the available resources. 15. Any changes to polling district boundaries made after publication of the revised electoral register on 1st December 2019 would necessitate the republication of the electoral register in advance of a UK parliamentary election. Next Steps in Process 16. Council to consider the recommendations of the Selection & Constitutional Review Committee on 17th October 2019. 17. Revised Electoral Register published on 1st December 2019. Conclusion 18. The polling station scheme set out in Appendix 1 of the report including any amendments recommended by the Selection & Constitutional Review Committee should be in place to allow for the publication of the revised electoral register on 1st December 2019 Portfolio Holder’s Views 19. To be given at the meeting. Proposed Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations 2019 Ashford Parliamentary Constituency Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Aylesford South Newtown Ashford AE1-Newtown 776 Swan Community No Change No Comment & East Willesborough East Centre, Turner Stour & Newtown Close Aylesford South South Ashford AE2-South 2,524 The Salvation Army Move to the Proposed & East Willesborough Willesborough East Willesborough Hall, 115 Cudworth Swan Centre, change of venue Stour & Newtown Road, South Turner Close agreed on the Willesborough TN24 0BD basis that the new venue is more suited to the number of electors. Aylesford Ashford AE3- 1,222 The Scout Hut, No Change No Comment & East East Aylesford Breadlands Road Stour Green Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Beaver Ashford BE1 - Beaver 1,464 Beaver Green No Change No Comment South Nursery School, Cuckoo Lane Beaver Ashford BE2 - 1,924 South Ashford No Change No Comment South Brookfield Baptist Church, Brookfield Road Beaver Ashford BE3 - 1.228 St Francis Church No Change No Comment South Woolreeds Hall, Cryol Road Beaver Ashford BE3X - 6 St Francis Church No Change No Comment East Farrow Court Hall, Cryol Road Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Biddenden Biddenden Tenterden BI1 - 2,106 Biddenden No Change No Comment Biddenden Clubhouse, (Old Hall), Tenterden Road Biddenden High Halden Woodlands Tenterden BI2 - 241 Biddenden No Change No Comment Woodlands Clubhouse, (Old Hall), Tenterden Road Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Bockhanger Kennington Grosvenor Ashford BO1 - 2,078 Gerlach House No Change No Comment Hall Central Grosvenor Sheltered Housing, Hall Beecholme Drive Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Bybrook Kennington Bybrook Ashford BY1-Bybrook 1,300 St Mary's No Change No Comment Central Community Centre, Ryland Road Bybrook Kennington Bybrook Ashford BY2 - The 761 Spearpoint Pavilion, No Change No Comment Rural East Ridge The Ridge Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission District Charing Charing Charing Ashford CH1 - 2,131 Charing Parish Hall, No Change No Comment Hill Rural West Charing Station Road Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Conningbrook Kennington Little Ashford CL1 - Little 1,548 Conningbrook Hotel, No Change No Comment and Little Burton Rural East Burton Farm Canterbury Road Burton Farm Farm Ward Parish Parish Ward County Polling District Electorate Polling Place Proposal ARO Submission Downs Chilham Ashford DN1 - Dane 911