Polling place review 2023
The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 required local authorities to complete a review of their polling districts and polling places by 31 January 2015. The Act also requires authorities to do a subsequent review at least once every five years. The most recent review in the borough of Gedling commenced on 4 December 2023 and has now been finalised.
What was the review for?
The aim of the review was to ensure that all electors had reasonable access to a polling station and that the buildings we use have facilities to cater for people that have different types of disability. Any elector in the constituency could have made a representation in relation to the size and boundaries of polling districts and the location and suitability of polling places. The council also welcomed comments or representations from any Councillors in the area, past or potential candidates, local political parties and indeed any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability.
The consultation period for the review commenced on Monday 4 December 2023 and ended on Monday 22 January 2024
Completion of the review
A report containing the findings of the consultation and final recommendations was presented to Council on Wednesday 21 February 2024. Al recommendations were agreed and as such a revised register will be republished on 1 March 2024, making changes at all elections held after this date.
in addition, the Council must publish:
- All correspondence sent to the Returning Officer in connection with the review and all correspondence sent to any person who the Council thinks has particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability;
- All representations made by any person in connection with the review;
- The minutes of any meetings held by the Council where details of the review have been considered;
- Details of the actual designations of polling districts and polling places agreed as a result of the review; and
- Details of where the results of the review have been published.
Challenging the outcome of the review
The Electoral Commission plays no part in the conduct of the review itself. However, it does have a role to play if anyone believed that the Council has not carried out the review properly and has failed to:
- Meet the reasonable requirements of the electors in the local government area/constituency, or a body of them (i.e. the reasonable requirements of a particular area of the authority have not been satisfactorily met); or
- Take sufficient account of the accessibility to disabled persons of polling stations within a designated polling place.
If that is the case, the following may make representations in writing to the Electoral Commission:
- 30 or more registered electors in the constituency review being undertaken (except the Returning Officer)
- Any person who has made representations to the authority when the review was being undertaken
- Any parish council wholly or partially situated within the constituency
- Any person who is not an elector within the constituency who the Electoral Commission feels has sufficient interest in the accessibility of disabled persons to polling places in the area or has particular expertise in relation to the access to premises or facililties of disabled persons.
Representations about the review should be sent to:
Legal Counsel
The Electoral Commission
3 Bunhill Row
London EC1Y 8YZ
tel: 020 7271 0500
Fax: 020 7271 0505
Email: appeals@electoralcommission.org.uk
The Returning Officer may make observations on any representations made to the commission.
Review by the Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is required to consider any such representations and observations, and after doing so, may direct the relevant council to make alterations it sees necessary to the polling places designated by the review. Should a council fail to make the alterations within two months of the direction being given, the Commission may make the alterations itself.
If you have any questions about the review, you can contact us via email at elections@gedling.gov.uk or via phone on 0115 901 3906.