Rushcliffe Borough Council has concluded its periodic review of polling districts and polling places, an exercise mandated under the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013.
The review, which will be presented at a Council meeting on 5 December 2024, involves public consultations and proposals for changes across several wards, aimed at ensuring effective accessibility and practicality for voters. These proposals are recommended for approval by the council but will be confirmed at the upcoming meeting.
The review, required by legislation to be carried out between 1 October 2023 and 31 January 2025, is part of the council’s duty to designate polling districts and places across the borough. Subsequent reviews must be conducted every five years to ensure facilities meet evolving needs. The focus of the review was to ensure that polling places are accessible, especially for voters with disabilities, and that facilities for voting are as convenient as possible.
Polling station at West Bridgford Methodist Church
Key Proposed Changes
Several notable changes were proposed to polling districts and polling places in Rushcliffe. In the Compton Acres Ward, polling districts CAB3 and CAB4, which already share a polling place, are recommended to be merged, reducing administrative redundancy and simplifying the process for voters. The merged district will retain the name CAB3, while CAB5 will be renamed CAB4.
In Lady Bay Ward, the polling place for polling district LBAD is set to move from All Hallows Halls to Lady Bay Scout Hall. This change aims to equalise the electorate distribution across polling places in the ward. Similarly, in Newton Ward, Upper Saxondale Village Hall is recommended as a permanent polling place, replacing the Catalyst Church.
Radcliffe on Trent Ward will see a change with St Mary’s Church Hall becoming the new polling place for RTM2, as the previous polling venue, the British Legion Hall, is no longer available. In Ruddington Ward, the council has proposed adding an additional polling place at Jubilee Clubhouse on Loughborough Road for electors in RUFL, to ease the burden on St Peter’s Rooms, which currently serves a large number of voters.
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Despite extensive efforts, no suitable alternative polling place could be found for polling district RUEA in Ruddington Ward, meaning that Ruddington Village Hall will continue to serve both RUCA and RUEA districts for the time being.
Consultation and Feedback
The council opened a public consultation from 2 September to 18 October 2024, inviting comments from electors, local authorities, and disability access experts. Seven responses were received, with six respondents supporting the proposals or advocating the retention of current polling places. The seventh response questioned the accessibility issues identified at Gamston Village Hall, but a subsequent investigation confirmed that the building is fully accessible, leading to an update in the revised schedule.
Legal and Administrative Considerations
The council’s obligation to undertake these reviews is enshrined in the Representation of the People Act 1983. The findings and recommendations are intended to comply with this legislation while ensuring that polling places are accessible and convenient for all voters. This review also allows Rushcliffe Borough Council to plan effectively for the upcoming 2025 elections, incorporating the changes in a revised electoral register to be published on 1 January 2025.
Financial implications of the review are expected to be minimal, with costs covered under existing budgets. There are no significant biodiversity or crime and disorder considerations associated with the review. However, the changes contribute to the council’s broader priority of maintaining and enhancing residents’ quality of life by enabling better engagement with democratic processes.
Next Steps
The council is expected to formally publish the notice of the conclusion of this review and its findings following the meeting on 5 December 2024. In the event of any unexpected issues requiring an alternative polling place, the Acting Returning Officer has been given the authority to select suitable alternatives, with formal approval to be sought retrospectively if necessary.
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