Council launches review of polling districts and stations

Thanet District Council has launched a review into the district’s polling districts and polling places and is seeking your feedback.

Each local authority must carry out a review of its polling districts and polling places every four years. The last review in Thanet was completed in 2010. ‘Polling districts’ are the areas into which district wards are divided and ‘polling places’ are the locations of buildings in which polling stations are set up.

The council must strive to ensure that all the electors in Thanet have as reasonable facilities for voting as are achievable in the circumstances and that polling places are accessible to all electors. When considering the designation of a polling place, the council must have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons. The review is only about the administrative separation wards into polling districts which are then given polling places and not 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).

Local political parties and Councillors will be consulted and views are invited from residents as well as local community groups and anyone having particular expertise in access to premises or facilities for people with different forms of disability.

Cabinet member for Corporate Services, Cllr. Elizabeth Green said: “It is important to the council that all electors have sufficient opportunity to cast their vote on election days. This review gives everyone the opportunity to let us know if they have experienced any issues with their polling district and/or station and to provide suggestions for improvements. This will help us to ensure the best possible service for all at election time.”

Any elector in Thanet can respond to this review online at www.thanet.gov.uk/your-services/elections-and-voting or by emailelectoral.services@thanet.gov.uk

Responses can also be sent in writing to:

Electoral Services (Polling Places Review)

Thanet District Council

PO Box 9

Cecil Street

Margate

CT9 1XZ

Where necessary, responses must include proposals for specified alternative polling places.

The closing date for responses is 1 August 2014.