Review of polling districts 2011 - Borough of...

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL

Review of Polling Districts and Polling

Places 2011

Background information, the Council's and Returning Officer's (polling stations) proposals

If you have any comments please write to:

Electoral Services Dartford Borough Council Civic Centre Home Gardens Dartford Kent DA1 1DR

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL Representation of the People Act 1983 The Review of Polling Districts & Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006

Review of polling districts and polling places in Dartford

The reason for a review

Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Council has a duty to divide the borough into polling districts for the purposes of parliamentary elections and to designate a polling place for each district. It also has to keep these arrangements under review.

The last general review in Dartford was carried out during 2007. Since then no polling district has been altered, although some polling places have been changed temporarily when building works have affected the usual designated place.

Section 16 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 introduced a number of changes to the 1983 Act in respect of the way reviews must be undertaken. The most important change is that the Council must conduct a full review every four years and this is the reason for this consultation exercise as the next review must be carried out this year . This does not prevent changes being made at any time between full reviews and it is the practice at Dartford to conduct a light touch review of polling arrangements every year in addition to the in depth reviews.

The arrangements made for parliamentary elections are also used at other elections.

Definitions

A polling district is a geographical subdivision of an electoral area, that is, a UK parliamentary constituency, European parliamentary electoral region, county division or district ward. A polling place, which must be designated for every polling district in the parliamentary constituency, must be a location within the area of the district, unless special circumstances apply.

In addition, it must be noted that the law requires each parish (or ward thereof) be a separate polling district. Thus the review is confined to considering the subdivisions within the parliamentary electoral area, which will determine which voters are allocated to particular polling places and thereafter to each polling station (the room/building where electors vote).

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL By definition the polling district has to be co-terminus with the Parish boundary. Therefore the review of Parish arrangements is limited to the provision and adequacy of polling stations. The review cannot concern itself with electoral area boundaries, which are determined independently of the Council.

How the review is conducted

In general terms, the Council announces that a review is to take place. Once the Council has proposed polling districts and polling places, it consults the Returning Officer, who makes representations on existing and proposed polling stations. The Council publishes it's and the Returning Officer's proposals and invites comments. These are considered before final decisions are made.

The full Council will decide on polling district boundaries and the designation of polling places.

The consultation must seek comments from people who have particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability.

Any elector may make representations. Although not specifically required in law, the consultation will include local political parties and elected representatives.

The role of The Electoral Commission

The Commission has no role in the review process itself. However, it can consider comments if people do not think the review has met the reasonable requirements of electors or taken sufficient account of the needs of disabled electors. The following people can "appeal" to The Commission once the Council has published its final arrangements:

• 30 or more registered electors

• any person who made comments during the review

• any non-elector who has expertise in access to premises or facilities for disabled people.

As a result , The Commission may direct the Council to alter polling arrangements arising from the review, and can make these alterations itself if the Council does not do so within two months.

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL Timetable for this review

Notice of start of review 27 July 2011 Publication of the Council's and Returning Officer's proposals - 2 August 2011 Comments from consultation on proposals required by 31 August 2011 Report to full Counci l meeting - September/October 2011 Arrangements come into force when the next revised Electoral Register is published - 1 December 2011

Making comments

The Returning Officer is generally proposing to keep the existing polling stations and to make minimal changes only where circumstances require. The intention is not to make changes for change's sake. He has however in response to early comments made by the Council's Electoral Provisions Subcommittee identified options for change in three polling districts, Greenhithe, Knockhall and Summerhouse. Comments on these options would be particularly welcome.

If, however, someone wishes to make major alterations, they should write to the Electoral Services T earn at the address given below or online as soon as possible, in order to allow further and wider consultation.

Comments do not have to be restricted to alternative proposals; comments that support the Returning Officer's proposals are welcome in order to receive a balance of opinions.

Comments should be made in writing to:

Electoral Services Dartford Borough Council Civic Centre Home Gardens Dartford Kent DA1 1DR

Throughout the review, all working papers, minutes of meetings, and correspondence will be available for public inspection at the Civic Centre Reception .

All items will be published when the review has been completed.

DARTFORD BOROUGH COUNCIL The Returning Officer's proposals

The Returning Officer's proposals are contained in the tables at the end of this document and current locations are shown on the accompanying maps. All existing polling stations have disabled access. Electoral Commission guidelines suggest that no polling station should be allocated more than 2,500 electors who may vote at that station and currently none of the Borough's polling stations exceeds this figure. It is not anticipated that this position will change materially over the next 18 months which is the reason that the Returning Officer does not consider there to be a need to change the existing arrangements. By way of illustration the number of electors allocated to each polling station is shown in the table along with comparative figures for 2007, when the last full review was carried out.

Guidelines

The following considerations have been taken into account when drawing up the proposals. Comments made during the consultation should have regard to these. The first two are required by electoral law; the others are taken from the previous reviews and are guidelines, not strict rules.

1) The Council must seek to ensure that all electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.

2) The Council must seek to ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable every polling place is accessible to electors who are disabled.

3) Ideally the polling place should be in its own polling district.

4) No polling place should be shared by two wards.

5) Where possible "natural" boundaries should be used, e.g. railways, major roads, waterways.

6) Polling places should be "logical"; that is, electors should not have to pass another polling place to get to their own place.

The tables

Each ward is dealt with separately. For existing polling arrangements, the tables show:


• The polling district

• The number of electors as at 2007 and 2011

• The polling place

• Disabled access, including where this is achieved by use of a temporary ramp

• The Returning Officer's proposals

Ward maps follow each table showing the location of each polling station.

Review of Polling Places and Polling Districts 2011 - Returning Officer and Council Proposals

Bean and Darenth Ward

Polling District Polling Place Electorate Electorate Difference in Disabled Proposal 2007 2011 Electorate Access-

AA Bean Polling District Bean Youth Centre, High Street 1311 1253 -58 Yes No Change Bean

AB Green Street Green Darenth Hall , Ladywood Road 167 173 6 Yes No Change Pollino District

AC Darenth Park Polling Property on Mobile Unit within 732 749 17 Yes No Change District the Pollina District -

AD Ladywood Polling Darenth Hall, Ladywood Road 923 901 -22 Yes No Change District

AE Lane End Polling Darenth Hall, Ladywood Road 1121 1119 -2 Yes No Change District

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Brent Ward

-Electorate Electorate Difference in Polling Place DisabledPolling District Proposal2007 201 1 Electorate Access- -2314 2416 102York Road CP School YesHesketh Polling District BA No ChanQe 2008 2107Fleetdown Community Centre, -- 99Fleet Estate Polling YesBB No Change

Swaledale Road District -624 613Fleetdown Community Centre, -11Fleet Downs Polling YesBC No Change Swaledale Road District

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CastJe Ward

Polling District Polling Place Electorate Electorate Difference in Disabled Proposal2007 2011 Electorate Access

CA Castle Polltna District Mobile Unit, Steele Avenue 1341 1889 548 Yes, ramped No Change

- -CASTLE WARD: Boundaries

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Greenhithe Ward

Electorate DifferencePolling Place Electorate DisabledPolling Proposal District 2007 2011 in Access

Electorate DA YesMobile Unit within the 2043 2361 318Greenhithe The Returning Officer is considering a number of options:

Polling Polhng Distnct ramped 1. No Change Mobile unit based at Eagles Road car park. District 2. Retain the mobile unit at Eagles Road car park and locate

an additional mobile polling station in Ingress Park possibly along the river walkway. This would involve dividing the polling district into two new polling districts with the divide running along The Avenue. 3. Retain the mobile unit at Eagles Road car park and locate an additional polling station at the British Legion Club, London Road to serve electors from Greenhithe Polling District. This would also involve splitting the polling district into two districts.

DB 2311 42 YesKnockhall British Legion Club, 2269 The Returning Officer is considering a number of options: Polling London Road 1 No Change. Retain a polling station at the British Legion District Club, London Road.

2 Move the polling station from the British Legion Club, London Road to the Greenhithe Community Centre. 3. If option 3 of the options for Greenhithe Polling District is adopted, locate two polling stations at the British Legion Club, London Road This 1s located on the boundary between Greenhithe and Knockhall Polling districts - one polling station would serve part of Greenhithe and the other Knockhall.

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GREENHITHE WARD: Boundanes

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Heath Ward

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EB

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Polling District

Broomhill Polling District Orchard Polling District

Wentworth Polling District

Polling Place

Scout House, Broomh1ll Road

Mobile Unit, Heathclose Road/Heath Lane Wentworth CP Junior School, James Road

Electorate 2007 1420

1108

2350

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1112

2421

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Difference in Electorate

38

4

71

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Disabled Access

Yes, ramped

Yes, ramped

Yes

-Proposal

No Change

No Change

No Change

Joyce Green

-ElectoratePolling Place ElectoratePolling District Difference in Disabled Proposal2007 2011 Electorate Access- -Mobile Unit, Car Park, Trev1th1ck 1554 1558Trevithick Polling 4FA Yes, ramped No Change

DriveDistrict 1258St. Edmund's Living Well, St. 1237St. Edmund Polling -21FB Yes No Change

Edmund's Road District '--

The Management Centre, The -Bridge Polling District 344 344FC Yes No Change BridQe, Marsh Street North

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Joydens Wood

-Electorate ElectoratePolling District Polling Place Difference ProposalDisabled

2007 2011 in Access Electorate- 1837 1866Joydens Wood 29Birchwood YesGA No Change

Polling District Community Centre, Birchwood Drive .____ Library, Summerhouse 2348 2339Summerhouse -9 GB Yes The Returning Officer 1s considering the

Polling District Drive following options 1. No Change 2. Provision of an additional mobile polling station at Stonehill Woods Park. This would mean dividing the polling district into two districts. -1317 1348Maypole CP School, 31Maypole Polling YesGC No Change

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Littlebrook

--Polling District

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Polling Place Electorate 2007

Electorate 2011


Disabled Access

Proposal

HA Attlee Polling D1stnct Temple Hill Community Centre. Temple Hill S..9.!Jare

1794 1818 24 Yes No Change

HB River View Polling District

Baptist Church Hall, St. Edmund's Road

1233 1242 9 Yes No Change

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Longfield, New Barn and Southfleet

Polling District Polling Place Electorate Electorate Difference in Disabled Proposal2007 2011 Electorate Access_,___ - - -IA Southfleet East Polling Southfleet Village Hall, Dale 785 765 -20 Yes No Change

District Road - --Mobile Unit, The Colyer Arms, -18 Southfleet West Polling 298 327 29 Yes, ramped No Change

District Station Road, Betsham IC New Barn West Polling Mobile Unit, 1123 1138 15 Yes, ramped No Change

District Shearwater/Nuthatch New Barn - - -ID New Barn East Polling Mobile Unit, The Oval, New Barn 1481 1469 -12 Yes, ramped No Change District - - -IE Longfield Village Polling The Jubilee Hall, Main Road 1281 1312 31 Yes No Change District - -

IF Longfield Hill Polling The Scouts Hall, Nurstead Lane 218 225 7 Yes No Change District

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Newtown

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Polling District

Miiestone Polling District St. Alban Polling District St. Vincent (West) Pollina District St. Vincent (East) Pollina District

Polling Place

Brent Social Club, London Road

St. Alban's CP School, St. Alban's Road Methodist Church Hall, St. Vincent's Road Brent Social Club, London Road

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2235

1352

573

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2188

1340

542

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-47

-12

-31

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Disabled Access

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Proposal

No Change

No Change

No Change

No Change

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Princes

Polling District Polling Place Electorate 2007

Electorate 2011


-33

70

-14

3

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Disabled Access

Yes

Proposal

No Change KA

KB

KC

KO

Orange Tree Polling District Cedar Polling District

Fairfield (East)Polling District Willow Polling District

Oakfield CP School

Tree Community Centre, Cedar Road Lenderyou Court, Phoenix Place

Mobile Unit, Chestnut Road/Larch Road

I

723

2120

679

961

(hl.EJ

690

2190

665

964

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Yes

Yes

Yes, ramped

No Change

No Change

No Change

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Stone

Polling District

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LA

Horns Cross Polling District

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St. John's Polling District

LC

Polling Place

The Parish Hall. Stone Place Road, The Pavillion, Stone Recreation Ground, London Road, Stone Canteen, Brent CP School

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1944

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Electorate 201 1 1209

1462

1915

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42

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Disabled Access

Yes

Yes

Yes

Proposal

No Change

No Change

No Change

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--Sutton-at-Hone and Hawley

- Electorate ElectoratePolling Place Difference inPolling District Disabled Proposal 2007 2011 Electorate Access-1101 1104M1ss1on Hall, Shirehall Road MA Hawlev Pollina D1stnct 3 Yes No Chanae - -2199Methodist Church Hall, Ship 2197MB Sutton-at-Hone Polling -2 Yes No Change

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Swanscombe

- Electorate Electorate Difference in DisabledPolling Place ProposalPolling District 2007 2011 Electorate Access -- 2145 2052The Church Centre, -93 YesSwanscombe Polling No Change NA

Swanscombe Street District- 1537 1512The Heritage Community Hall, -25 Yes No Change Craylands Polling NB _Craylands Lane ._District -

1065The Council Offices, The Grove, 1439 374 YesGalley Hill Polling NC No Change SwanscombeDistrict

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Meters SWANSCOMBE WARD: Boundaries Oa 125 250 500 750 1 000 Po!MllQ ?laoes

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Town

Polling District Polling Place Electorate 2007

Electorate 2011


Disabled Access

Proposal

OA Priorv Polling District Ba tist Church, Highfield 1157 1248 91 Yes No Chanoe OB Burnham Polling Holy Trinity CEP School 1681 1761 80 Yes No Change

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West Hill

PA

PB

PC

Polling District

Christ Church Polling District Whitehill Polling District

Hallford Polling District

Polling Place

Christ Church Parish Hall, Christ Church Road Canteen, Lawrence Hill Gardens (West Hill School) Masonic Hall, High Road

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1652

1180

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1678

1632

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181

26

452

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Disabled Access

Yes -

Proposal

No Change

Yes

Yes

No Change

No Change

Wilmington

Electorate Electorate Difference in Disabled Polling Place ProposalPolling District 20112007 Electorate Access

729 734St Michael's Church Hall , 8Church Hill Polling Yes No ChangeQA Church Hill Distnct

1814 1861Memorial Hall, Martin Road 47 Yes QB Wilmington Common No Change Polling District

615 603 -12 Leyton Cross Social Club, YesLeyton Cross Polling No ChangeQC Tredegar Road Wilmington District

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Review of polling districts 2011 - Borough of...

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