Agenda and minutes

None.

RESOLVED - that the minutes of the meeting of the Boundary Review Committee held on the 7 March 2019 & 30July 2019 be signed by the Chair.

RESOLVED –that Councillor Vanessa Holt be appointed as Vice-Chair of the Committee for the remainder of the 2019-2020 Municipal Year.

Report of the Assistant Director: Governance, Procurement & Commissioning

The Assistant Director for Governance, Procurement and Commissioning presented this report which asked Members to review the consultation responses and proposed polling places to be used for future elections.

The procedure and guiding principles for a review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations was laid down in the Representation of People Act 1983.  The Council had initiated a review, made proposals and conducted a consultation as set out in the report.  Members were asked to consider the comments received during the consultation and the proposals to adopt an arrangement of polling districts and polling places for a period of five years, after which there would be a further duty to review.

Members were also reminded of the timetable for the review and the production of new registers for the Telford and the Wrekin Parliamentary constituencies

During the ensuing debate, Members were keen to understand the process that had been undertaken to identify sites as suitable alternative polling stations (eg the site of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints in Lawley as a replacement for Lawley Village Primary Academy School) and were informed that in the event that an existing polling station became unusable for whatever reason, then an emergency review was undertaken to find a replacement. However, in circumstances when a more suitable venue became available, it was acceptable to await a formal review of polling places stations before making a change on a more permanent basis.

Members also expressed interest in understanding the assessment made and thresholds used when considering the use of Porta Cabins The Elections Team Leader explained that there was no definitive cost or voter numbers associated with justifying an additional Porta Cabin, more so it depended on location, the availability of other permanent station and the issues that arose from using a Porta Cabin in the proposed area.

RESOLVED – that;

(a)  the Assistant Director: Governance, Procurement and Commissioning, be authorised to advise of polling places be used for the next election, when called, following a review of all documents received during consultation.

(b)  changes to polling places with immediate effect and changes to the register from 30 November 2019 be approved.