Have your say on polling station review

Published Friday, 23rd August 2019

Hartlepool residents are being given the opportunity to air their views on the location of the town’s polling stations as part of a review being carried out by Hartlepool Borough Council.

Under Government regulations, all councils must carry out a review of polling stations every five years with the deadline for completion of this review being 31 January 2020.

During the most recent elections in May of this year, there were a total of 57 polling stations which were situated in places ranging from schools and libraries to community centres and portable units.

The Government recommends that in considering polling stations, councils should pay particular attention to the following principles:

  • All electors must have reasonable facilities to vote.
  • The location must be accessible to all voters, including those with disabilities.
  • There should not be major obstacles between voters and their polling stations.
  • Polling stations should be within the polling district unless this is not possible.

Gill Alexander, the Council’s Electoral Registration Officer, said: “It must be stressed that this is not a review of ward boundaries for elections and should not be confused with the recent Boundary Review which will take effect from the elections to be held in May 2020 or the current Parliamentary Boundary Review - it is simply looking at individual polling stations and the polling districts they fall within.

“We want to hear the views of local people so that we can ensure that polling stations can be easily accessed by residents.”

The polling station consultation information can be viewed by visiting www.hartlepool.gov.uk and searching under ‘Polling District Review’. Alternatively, contact the Elections Office at the Civic Centre, Community Hub Central in York Road, or call  01429 523088.

The closing date for comments is Friday 4 October 2019