Tuesday, October 3, 2023
For immediate release
Consultation on proposed changes to polling districts, places and stations in Charnwood
A consultation has been launched about proposed changes to polling districts, places and stations in Charnwood.
All 92 polling districts, places and polling stations have been reviewed by officers at Charnwood Borough Council and views are now being sought.
The Council is required to carry out a full statutory review to polling districts every five years. An interim review was also carried out last year due to changes to borough and parish ward boundaries in Charnwood.
A polling district is a geographical area within a ward or constituency (there can be more than one in each ward/constituency). Polling places are locations where polling stations are located and a polling station is the actual room people vote in (there can be more than one polling station in a polling place).
There are a small number of changes proposed in the review including creating additional polling stations inside Jubilee Hall in Anstey and Thurmaston Community Centre.
Overall, the number of polling districts, places and stations will broadly be the same.
Polling districts are reviewed for various reasons including to ensure all electors have reasonable facilities for voting, they are accessible for people with disabilities and so ideally there should be no more than 2,250 electors voting in person at the polling station, in line with the recommendations of the Electoral Commission.
Rob Mitchell, Charnwood Borough Council Chief Executive and Returning Officer, said: “It is essential to make sure local voting arrangements are the best they can be so people can have their say in elections with ease but also that they can vote in a safe and secure environment.
“I would encourage people to take a look at the proposals and give us their feedback.”
The review also acknowledges changes to parliamentary constituency boundaries which are due to take effect from the next General Election.
Earlier this year, the Boundary Commission for England, an independent and impartial public organisation recently reviewed the Parliamentary constituency boundaries in England. Its recommended changes will see three parliamentary constituencies cover the borough: Loughborough, Mid-Leicestershire and Melton and Syston.
Currently the borough is covered by the Loughborough and Charnwood constituencies.
People can find out more by reading the Council’s Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations Review 2023 document on the website. There is also information on how to give your views.
Visit charnwood.gov.uk/pollingdistrictreview
The deadline to submit representations is Friday November 10, 2023.
ENDS