Issue - meetings

To consider the attached report of the Head of Democratic Services.

The Electoral Matters Committee at its meeting held on 6 October 2014 made the following recommendation to the Council (Minute No. 11):

“That it be recommended to Council:

(a)    That each Polling District be designated as the Polling Place.

(b)    That where no suitable Polling Station was available the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to designate an adjoining Polling District for that Polling Place.”

The Council considered the report of the Head of Democratic Services and the recommendation of the Electoral Matters Committee.

RESOLVED:  (a)     That each Polling District be designated as the Polling Place.

(b)    That where no suitable Polling Station was available the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to designate an adjoining Polling District for that Polling Place.

To consider the attached responses received to the consultation and the Officer responses.

Also attached is the report of the Head of Democratic Services submitted to the last meeting which details the requirements of the Review. The Committee is requested to consider this matter and make recommendations to Council. 

The Head of Democratic Services introduced the report on the outcome of the consultation on the Polling District Review.

The Committee considered the 8 responses received, which related to the following areas:

·         Capel-le-Ferne

·         Eythorne

·         Sholden

·         Castle Ward

·         Areas within the South Thanet Constituency

·         Wingham

·         Ash

·         Areas within the Dover District Council Area

In respect of the proposals from Aylesham Parish Council for a polling district in Elvington as part of the Eythorne Ward, the Head of Democratic Services confirmed that no response had been received from Eythorne Parish Council in respect of it.

Councillor M R Eddy suggested that high levels of deprivation could be an obstacle for residents in Elvington in travelling to the polling station in Eythorne and that the community centre at Elvington could be a potential venue for a polling station. In response the Head of Democratic Services advised that this would require the creation of a new polling district in an already warded parish and that the options of postal and proxy voting was available for residents in Elvington who were not able to travel to the polling station in Eythorne.

In respect of the consultation response for Sholden, the Head of Democratic Services expressed reservations that it would not be practical to have one polling station serving two different electoral areas.

In respect of the other consultation responses, the consensus of opinion was that no changes to the current scheme were required.

It was proposed by Councillor S S Chandler, and duly seconded, that the current scheme be recommended to Council without amendment.

Councillor M R Eddy was unable to move an alternative proposal in the absence of a seconder.

RESOLVED: That it be recommended to Council:

(a)    That each Polling District be designated as the Polling Place.

(b)    That where no suitable Polling Station was available the Head of Democratic Services be authorised to designate an adjoining Polling District for that Polling Place.

(In accordance with Council Procedure Rule 18, Councillor M R Eddy requested that his vote against be recorded.)