The Electoral Administration Act 2006 introduced a duty for all
Polling Districts and Polling Places to be reviewed. This already
happens on a regular basis at Waveney District Council but the law
now requires a formalisation of the process this year and every
four years thereafter. At every Election a questionnaire is
completed by all Presiding Officers, who record feedback from the
electorate and this, in addition to information received by the
Electoral Services team from the electorate and election agents, is
assessed regularly.
A ‘Polling Place’ is not always the actual station where you go
and vote but an area in which a particular Polling District is
assigned to vote. Although it could be a single Polling Station it
can also be an area, to allow the use of the most suitable and
accessible Polling Station venue for voting purposes. When
selecting a venue, many issues have to be considered such as
disabled access, distance for the electorate and if not owned by
the Local Authority then availability for hiring for a 15 hour
Polling day.
This Review must not be confused with changing any District Ward
boundaries; this review is purely about the administrative
subdivision of a Ward into Polling Districts that are then assigned
Polling Places. Many Polling Districts especially in rural areas
are also defined as a Parish electoral area and aligned with that
Parish Ward boundary and therefore cannot be amended as they are
set in statute.
Current Issues under Review
Gisleham Parish and Polling District is situated in the
Kessingland Ward; this Polling District needs to be split to allow
those in the ‘old’ part of the Parish to continue to vote where
they do at present but those who live in the area known locally as
‘Bloodmoor’ but who reside within the Gisleham Parish to be
assigned to the new Community Building and not have to drive along
the A12 to the Gisleham Village in order to vote.
Split and create a Carlton Colville East (CCEA) in the Carlton
Colville Ward, which will allow the area known as 'Bloodmoor' that
is in the Carlton Colville Ward to also use the newly built
Community Centre, which although situated in the Kessingland Ward
can also be assigned as a Polling Place for this District. Also to
use the new bypass as a ‘natural’ divide between Carlton Colville
North & South Polling Districts to align the roads more
sensibly and give the electorate the most appropriate Polling
Place.
One of the venues used at the last election for the first time in
the Kirkley Ward did not prove to be very suitable for the
electorate so looking to use an alternative venue.
Pakefield Ward, all venues are suitable but a few roads need
realigning within the current Polling Districts to provide more
sensible allocation of roads to a Polling District and Polling
Station.
Electoral Services – Polling Place Review
Waveney District Council
Town Hall
High Street
Lowestoft
NR32 1HS
Comments will be considered and evaluated by the Returning Officer
and Deputy Returning Officer as authorised by Full Council on 28
June 2007 with the resulting Polling Districts and Polling Places
published on this website and at the Town Hall,
Lowestoft.