2014 Review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations

Overview

The consultation provides an opportunity for electors in the constituency and interested parties to express their views on the existing arrangements, and where possible make alternative suggestions for consideration in relation to the size and boundaries of polling districts, and the location and suitability of polling places.

The Council wishes to consult as widely as possible on the future arrangements and welcomes comments or representations from all electors, any Councillors in the area, past or potential candidates, local political parties and indeed any person or body with expertise in access for persons with any type of disability.

If you wish to make any comments or have any suggestions regarding the current arrangements, please complete and return the consultation submission form.

You can do this online by following the link below or, if you prefer, you can download a copy of the form and return to Miranda Cannon - (Acting) Returning Officer, by email Miranda.cannon@leicester.gov.uk or post Leicester City Council, 3rd Floor, Rutland Wing, City Hall, Leicester LE1 1FZ. 

Why your views matter

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England published their final recommendations for new electoral arrangements (which looked at council size and ward boundaries/names) for Leicester City Council on 12 August 2014. 
In accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Council is now conducting a review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations to:

• ensure polling districts are suitably aligned to the new wards;
• ensure that all electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances;
• ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable every polling place is accessible to electors who are disabled.

The final proposals will be considered for approval by Council in November 2014 and the new warding arrangements will be effective for the next ordinary elections in May 2015. On completion of the review the council will publish the final proposals giving reasons for the decision along with all representations received, on the council website.

For reference:

• a Polling District is the geographical sub division of an electoral area.  For voting purposes, each Parliamentary constituency and every local government ward is divided into one or more polling districts. From May 2015 Leicester City will have 21 wards divided up into Polling Districts, which vary in size and electorate
• a Polling Place is the geographical area within which a polling station is located.  However, there is no legal definition of what a polling place is.  It could be as large as the polling district or as small as a particular building
• a Polling Station is where the voting actually takes place and must be located within the polling place designated for the particular polling district.  When deciding which buildings to use as polling stations, the Council tries to make sure that they are located as conveniently as possible for the majority of electors and that they are accessible to everyone, particularly anyone with a disability.