Agenda item

This report informs Members of the review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations carried out in the city council area in response to legislation introduced by the Electoral Administration Act 2006.

Members considered a report which informed them of the review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations carried out in the city council area in response to legislation introduced by the Electoral Administration Act.

The Electoral Services Manager outlined the report, in particular the following key issues:

·        The Electoral Administration Act 2006 requires that a review be carried out every four years.

·        A local authority is required to publish notice of the holding of a review and this in York was in the form of a notice in the local press, on the council website and in writing to all interested bodies.

·        A council web page was introduced to highlight the review and to invite comments. A period of two months consutation ended on 30^th August 2011.

·        Future potential housing developments were taken into consideration and it was considered only one would warrant the creation of a separate polling district or place at the current time.

Members considered Appendix 2 which contained the recommendations following the representations submitted to the Deputy Returning Officer. Members broadly agreed with the recommendations but made the following comments and  suggestions:

·        Bishopthorpe Ward – Members agreed for the Electoral Services Manager to speak to residents at a Ward Committee to establish if changing the polling station to the Village Hall instead of St. Andrews Church Hall would be beneficial.

·        Bishopthorpe Ward – Members agreed to merge polling districts YAB and YAC as the small area of Middlethorpe is now part of Bishopthorpe Parish.

·        Dringhouses and Woodthorpe Ward – Members commented that they were happy with the recommendation to continue to use the current polling station at Woodthorpe Primary in CE polling district, but asked that the Electoral Services Manager looks into the possibility of using Honeysuckle Care Home.

·        Dringhouses and Woodthorpe – Members agreed to the merging of CA and CB polling districts and to the use of Edward the Confessor Church Hall as a double station for the new polling district.

·        Guildhall Ward – Members agreed to a structure change in polling districts to create a new district and allow Bedern Hall to be used as a new polling station.

·        Hull Road Ward – in relation to this Ward, Members noted the difficulties in locating a satisfactory polling station in the HA polling district and were happy to agree to continue with the current arrangements.

·        Micklegate Ward – Members noted the difficulties associated with the use of All Saints School and Scarcroft Primary School and were happy to agree the use of English Martyrs Church Hall and Clements Hall as alternative polling stations.

·        Rural West York Ward – Upper and Nether Poppleton currently use two polling stations, Members suggested that the Community Centre which spans the two districts could be used as one polling station and requested that the Electoral Services Manager investigate for future elections if one station would be suitable.

·        Westfield Ward – Members agreed to the merging of polling districts KB and KE with a double station to be located at Acomb Parish Church in Front Street.

·        Westfield Ward – Members commented that they were happy with the recommendation to continue to use the current polling station at Westfield Community Primary School in the KC polling district.

·        Wheldrake Ward – The Electoral Services Manager will speak to Deighton Parish Council to seek their views on the location of a new polling station, as currently the polling station is a mobile unit located in the car park of the White Horse Inn in Deighton.

RESOLVED:                That Members agreed Option 1 to alter the polling arrangements as outlined in Appendix 2, subject to the comments detailed above.

REASON:                     In order to provide consistency in polling arrangements for the electors in polling districts outlined in table 2