Polling District and Polling places/stations Review

Overview

Background

The London Borough of Havering is undertaking a review of all polling district, polling places and polling stations In accordance with the requirements of section 18C of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended by section 17 of the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013).

Under the provisions within the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, the previous statutory review of all the polling districts and polling places was undertaken in 2019.

The Local Government Boundary Commission has since reviewed all of the ward boundaries in Havering, which has subsequently seen the number of wards being increased from 18 to 20.

This has resulted in the need to undertake a review of all polling districts, places and stations before the changes are implemented and in time for the Local Elections to be held on Thursday 5 May 2022. Therefore, Havering is undertaking a review of its polling districts and also the location of polling places/stations for use at both national and local elections to mirror the changes to the ward boundaries.

Views are invited from residents, political parties and local councillors, persons or groups possessing particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability and local community groups.

Your comments on current arrangements or representations on proposed alternative arrangements should be sent to us in writing or via email.

The Proposals

There are 88 proposed polling places of which 86 have previously been used as polling stations. Of these, 27 places are either schools or nurseries, seeing a reduction of 14 from previous years. At the end of this page, you will also find a separate map for each ward with individual polling district maps, and a spreadsheet of current polling stations highlighting changes. 

Map of the Borough showing New Wards

Map of the Borough showing Wards and Proposed Polling Districts

Please click here to be redirected to web app to to obtain details of your proposed Polling Station.

The Review Rationale

The aim of the review is to ensure:

• All electors have reasonable facilities for voting, and as far as possible polling places are accessible to all electors having regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons;
• An attempt to take into account current polling districts forming new polling districts or a major part thereof, where this can be achieved to ensure continuity where possible;
• An attempt to take into account natural boundaries for example railway lines, major roads and river;
• Polling places fall within the Polling District wherever possible; and
• The use of schools be avoided where suitable alternative premises are available.

As schools are generally at the heart of the community and are more likely to be Disability Discrimination Act compliant than private buildings, the continuation of their use for polling would seem to be unavoidable.  Also the Representation of the People Act 1983 gives the Returning Officer the right to use such buildings free of charge only reimbursing heating, lighting and cleaning costs.  However the timing of elections often clashes with examinations and schools are finding it more and more difficult to accommodate polling.  As part of this review every effort has been made to avoid the use of a school where a suitable alternative has been identified. Where this has not been able to be achieved this review also allows the opportunity to ask all Head-teachers of proposed polling places to consider if there is a separate part of their school that could be used for polling which would be more convenient for them, and where appropriate allowing for the school to remain open.

There is also an on-going accessibility audit, checklists are completed for each venue.  Access information is supplied by the Presiding Officer and the Polling Station Inspector for every polling place at each election, and after the election it is reviewed by the Election Services Office. This is reviewed after each election and any relevant information has been considered whilst undertaking this preliminary review.

Consideration has been given to projected elector ratios that were used as part of the Ward Boundary Review in relation to the size of venues.   

Details of the proposals can be viewed on Tuesdays and Thursdays by appointment at the Election Services Office, Town Hall, Main Road, RM1 3BD, any library in the Borough and on the Council’s website www.havering.gov.uk/elections.

Why your views matter

Any elector in the Borough is invited to make comments on these proposals or to offer alternative suggestions in writing to the address or email on the first page by no later than Friday 13 August 2021. Please note that any comments that do not support these proposals should give alternatives.

All representations received will be given due consideration and made available for public inspection and also published on the website at the conclusion of the review.

The Timetable and list of consultees

Below is the timetable and a list of those to be consulted.

The outcome of the review will be reported to the Governance Committee and if agreed will be put before the Council in time to enable the Electoral Registration Officer to make any alterations necessary to the polling districts when it is next revised on 1 December 2021.