2022 polling places review

1. Background

Local authorities are required to review their polling districts and polling places every five years under section 18C of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Each authority may choose the exact dates and length of their review; however, it must fall within a specified window. The last full review was completed in February 2020.

At the meeting of Full Council on 21 September 2022 it was agreed to undertake a further review of polling districts and polling places in Areley Kings & Riverside and Blakebrook & Habberley South.

2. Timetable

The review for Wyre Forest District Council started on 14 October 2022. The consultation period ran until 5pm on 11 November 2022. The final report will be considered at the full Council meeting on the proposed date of 7 December 2022 and if agreed will come into effect from 1January 2023.

3. Statutory Notice

The Statutory Notice can be viewed on our polling place review statutory notice page.

4. Definition of terms

The definitions of the terms for the items being reviewed are:

• A 'polling district' is a geographical subdivision of an electoral area such as a district ward within which a polling place is designate.
• A 'polling place' is defined as the building or area in which a polling station resides.
• A 'polling station' is the room or area within a polling place where voting takes place. Unlike polling districts and polling places which are fixed by the local authority, polling stations are chosen by the (Acting) Returning Officer.

5. The Review

The review requires the council to:

• Seek to ensure that all the electors in the wards of Blakebrook & Habberley South and Areley Kings & Riverside wards have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.
• Seek to ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable, the polling places they are responsible for are accessible to all electors, and when considering the designation of a polling place, must have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons.
• Seek to ensure that polling places are within their polling district unless special circumstances make it desirable to designate an area outside the polling district.

The (Acting) Returning Officer is required to decide how many polling stations are needed for each polling place and to allocate electors to the polling stations in such a manner he thinks most convenient.

The following is not considered as part of the review:

• The changing of any district ward boundaries (which can only be done by statute following an electoral review carried out by the Local Government Boundary Commission). This review is concerned only with the administrative subdivision of a ward into polling districts which are then assigned polling places;

or

• The changing of polling districts in areas which are also aligned with parish boundaries and therefore cannot be amended during this review (these can only be amended during a Community Governance Review).

The Council is keen to receive representations from any interested individual, group or organisation, particularly those with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability, on alterations to current electoral arrangements. Representations should, wherever possible, include suggested alternative premises which may be used for polling purposes. Any elector within the authority or within the Wyre Forest parliamentary constituency may make a representation.

6. Current arrangements

7. Wyre Forest District Council's proposed arrangements

Wyre Forest District Council is proposing to alter the polling place for the polling districts BHS-4, BHS-5 and AKR-SC

Electors for the polling Districts BHS-4 and BHS-5 currently vote at the Gainsborough House Hotel. Electors AKR-SC currently vote at Stourport Workmen's Club.

Blakebrook & Habberley South BHS-4 and BHS-5

BHS- 5 (Habberley Estate) options

The consultation questionnaire will propose that electors in BHS-5 would vote at Habberley Social Club instead of the Gainsborough House Hotel.

Alternative proposals

Within the consultation questionnaire views will be sought on alternative polling places for BHS-5 (Habberley estate) of which one option is the scout hut on Habberley playing fields. An opportunity to suggest other alternatives will be available in the consultation questionnaire. 

BHS-4 (Town Centre) to Trinity Methodist Church or Habberley Social Club

The consultation questionnaire will seek views on two options for electors in the town centre (BHS4) and will also give the opportunity to suggest other alternatives.

There are other buildings that could be used as polling places, including schools that are located in the ward, although the Council prefers to avoid designating schools if possible, in order to avoid any disruption to education if a governing body chooses to close a school even though a polling place might use only one room in a building. If you wish to suggest an alternative location or locations that should be designated as polling places for BHS4 and BHS5, you are welcome to do so. Please remember that buildings need to be accessible to disabled people. Given the low number of electors in BHS4 (316 electors), the Council is not likely to be recommended to approve creation of a separate polling place that would be used solely for that polling district: that would result in additional costs that would represent poor value for money.

Areley Kings & Riverside AKR-SC 

Two potential locations for a polling place have been identified for this polling district. Views are invited on which of them should be chosen. The Stourport Bowling Green Club is located in the district and is adjacent to the existing polling place. The Stourport Community Centre in Lickhill Park is separated by Lickhill Road from the polling district but is believed to be closer to the majority of electors in the district than the other potential location. The table sets out the distances that electors would travel to the two potential locations.

8. Polling Districts, Places and Stations information

Information on the current Polling Districts, Places and Stations including their electorate can be found on our 'Where to Vote' web page.

View map of the existing Polling Districts and Polling Places.

9. How to respond

Surveys are now closed. 

The surveys ran until Friday 11 November 2022.

Please note that as part of the review, all submissions, relevant correspondence and (Acting) Returning Officer comments will be made available for public inspection and be published in the final report and considered at full council on 7 December 2022. Personal data (such as your full address or email address) would not be published in the report to council and would be redacted (withheld).

10. Outcome

Any changes approved by Council on 7 December 2022 will be incorporated into the electoral register in 1 January 2023 and will take effect at any election after that date.