Agenda item

Report of the Electoral Registration Officer

The Deputy Chief Executive introduced the report and explained that, in accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, the council is required to complete a full review of all polling districts, polling places and polling stations every five years and this is subject to consultation.

In response to Member questions, officers gave the following responses:

-       a full equality impact assessment had been carried out on the function room at the back of The Umbrella public house in St Mark’s ward;

-       the council is committed to constantly reviewing polling stations. There has been significant disruption to schools over recent years and head teachers have approached the council to request that it looks for alternative locations;

-       councillors know their wards very well and therefore as part of the consultation can suggest suitable alternatives to officers for consideration;

-       the polling review relates to constituencies and as Swindon Village is in Tewkesbury constituency, it was not included in Appendix 3 of the report but included in Appendix 4.

-       officers will take on board the detailed comments on specific polling stations

A Member urged Councillors to feed in detailed comments at the consultation stage so that officers have time to consider them prior to decisions being put forward to Members for decision.

RESOLVED (unanimously) THAT the following be approved :

·         All Saints Ward – to merge polling district AC with polling district AA and to change the polling place / station for electors within the new polling district to All Saints Church, All Saints Road

·         Benhall, the Reddings & Fiddler’s Green Ward – to change the polling place / station for polling district CA and for electors to vote at Auditorium, The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane

·         Benhall, the Reddings & Fiddler’s Green Ward – to change the polling place / station for polling district CB and for electors to vote at Overflow Room, The Pavilion, Hatherley Lane

·         Charlton Park Ward – to merge polling district ED with polling district EA and for electors in the new polling district to vote at Cheltenham East Fire & Rescue Station, Keynsham Road

·         Charlton Park Ward – Create new polling district ED (current polling district EE) and for electors to vote at Old Patesians Sports and Social Club, Everest Road

·         College Ward – to merge polling district FD with polling district FC and for electors in the new polling district to vote at Portakabin, Town Hall, Imperial Square

·         College Ward – create new polling district FD (current polling district FE) and for electors to vote at Emmanuel Church, Fairfield Parade

·         Hesters Way Ward – for electors in polling district GB to continue to vote at St Marks and HW Community Centre, but in the event that the building is not available for electors to vote at Sports Hall, Oasis Centre, Cassin Drive

·         Lansdown Ward – to merge polling district HD with polling district HC and for electors in the new polling district to vote at St Gregorys Old Priory, 70 Clarence Street

·         Park Ward – to merge polling district KC with polling district KB and for electors to vote at Bethesda Methodist Church Hall, Great Norwood Street

·         Pittville Ward – to merge polling district LC with polling district LA and for electors in the new polling district to vote at Pittville Pump Room, East / West Approach Drive

·         Pittville Ward – to create new polling district LC (current polling district LD) and for electors to vote at Pittville Pump Room, East / West Approach Drive for all elections except for Parliamentary elections when electors will vote at Prestbury Hall, Bouncers Lane

·         Springbank Ward – for electors in polling district NC to vote at Hesters Way Childrens Centre, Dill Avenue at all elections

·         St Mark’s Ward -  to change the polling station for electors in polling district OA to vote at The Umbrella, Orchard Way

·         St Mark’s Ward – for electors in polling district OB to continue to vote at St Marks & HW Community Centre, Brooklyn Road, but if the building is unavailable to vote at Hesters Way Library, Goldsmith Road

·         Swindon Village Ward – change current polling district RC – transfer the following streets/properties from RC to new polling district RD

o   Addis Road

o   Bridge Street

o   Cobham Road

o   Compton Road

o   Elm Close

o   Elm Street

o   Gardners Lane

o   Hope Street

o   Malvern Street

o   Queen Street

o   Richards Road

o   Sun Street

o   Swindon Road

o   Tewkesbury Road

o   Cobham Court, Tewkesbury Road

o   Waterloo Street

o   Cypress Court, Waterloo Street

o   Worcester Street

 The electors remaining in the new polling district RC to vote at St Nicolas Church Hall, Swindon Lane

·         Swindon Village Ward – create new polling district RD to include the streets/properties being transferred from polling district RC and for electors to vote at Sports Hall, Gas Green Youth Centre, Baker Street

·         Up Hatherley Ward – for electors in polling district SD to vote at St Margarets Hall, Coniston Road at all elections

·         Warden Hill Ward – for electors in polling district TD to vote at The Annexe, St Margarets Hall, Coniston Road at all elections