Agenda item

To consider the report of the Returning Officer concerning an interim review of polling districts and polling places, following a Local Government Boundary Commission for England review of the Gloucestershire County Council division boundaries.

13.1    The Policy and Governance Manager introduced the report which followed the latest review of the Gloucestershire County Council County Divisions by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE). She referred Members to Appendix 2 of the report which set out which polling districts would be in each County Division under the new changes once the order was approved, noting that the council did not have any control over those particular proposals.

13.2    Members were advised that as a result of the new County division boundaries, some polling districts would be moved into the same County division as the rest of the polling districts in that City Council Ward. The Policy and Governance Manager explained that the report proposed to merge polling districts in two respective locations where voters in those polling districts already voted in that location. The proposals were to merge polling district B4 and B2, and polling district P2 with P1. The Policy and Governance Manager emphasised that there would be no impact on voters or voting arrangements as a result of these changes.

13.3    The Policy and Governance Manager explained that one polling district, E1, needed to be split as a result of the new Division boundaries. She confirmed that the proposal was to add an additional polling station at the current E1 polling place to accommodate the new E4 polling district. She reassured Members again that there would be no impact on voters, and that this was purely an administrative change to facilitate the efficient running of elections.

13.4    Councillor S. Chambers confirmed that she was content with the proposals and noted that a wider consultation by the LGBCE on the proposals had taken place.

13.5    The Chair observed that through the new County Division changes, less City Council Wards would be divided.

13.6    Councillor A. Chambers thanked the Policy and Governance Manager for her work in preparing the report and for facilitating the efficient running of elections. The Chair echoed the sentiments.

13.7    The Policy and Governance Manager advised that due to a small error in the original order to pass the County Division Changes into law, the order needed to be re-laid. In the event that this resulted in the delaying of the publication of the electoral register following the annual canvass, Members were advised that the changes were included at Appendix 2.

13.8    RESOLVED that the General Purposes Committee RECOMMEND to Council that the proposals for the Interim Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places Review be approved.