Agenda item

M Anderson highlighted the key points in the report.

Polling district BAB to move into polling district BAA to tidy up the registers with regards to polling day to try and reduce the paperwork amount for the polling stations.

Nash House to move from polling district AFAA (Apsley Corner Hall Ward) to polling district BA (Nash Mills Ward) as this was set up incorrectly.

Polling district boundary of ALB to be amended to accommodate the whole of Woodfield Road, Leverstock Green. It was proposed the boundary line should be moved to the back of the houses on the edge of Bunkers Park to incorporate the whole street, this would affect 20 properties. Electors would be advised accordingly if it were to go through.

A change of polling station in Chipperfield was proposed to move from Chipperfield Youth Club to Chipperfield Village Hall which was next door. This had come about following the previous election when doing risk assessments for the polling station. It was deemed the village hall would be a great location for a polling station after a site visit and the people running the hall had no problems with DBC using the space. The village hall staff were keen as they were hoping footfall there would increase awareness of the village hall as a place to hire. The youth club have also been advised and they didn't have any specific thoughts.

There was a recommendation for a new polling placing in the Boxmoor ward as the previous had been demolished. Around 600 electors had been temporarily moved to Warners End Community Centre as a polling station even though this fell into the Chaulden and Warners End ward. A site visit was carried out at the Hemel Hempstead Methodist Church in the middle of the polling district. They were happy to be used and they had been granted usage of downstairs rooms with good access and parking facilities.

The Polling District and Polling Places review had to be carried out every five years. This was started in September, went out for a six week consultation and any responses were included in the report.

The Chair asked who the Elections Claims Unit were. M Anderson responded they were the government department where they have to submit all expenditure claims for Parliamentary and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections.

Councillor Tindall asked if Chipperfield Hall and Methodist Hall were aware that if when a general election was called that they would need a Thursday clear and that they didn't have anything they wouldn't be able to shift around. M Anderson responded that they had discussed this at the site visit and that they were made aware of the potential limited notice. The Methodist Church have things booked in but arrangements had been made so they were in different rooms to avoid impact.

The following recommendations were agreed.

1.    That the following polling district amendments are implemented:

· Polling District BAB (Nash Mills Ward) to move to Polling District BAA (Nash Mills Ward)

· Nash House to move from polling district AFAA (Apsley and Corner Hall ward) to move to Polling district BA (Nash Mills Ward)

2. That the Polling District boundary for ALB is slightly amended to accommodate the whole of Woodfield Road in Leverstock Green. Please note that this recommendation has since been retracted.

3.   That the polling station in Chipperfield is relocated to the Village hall

4. That a new polling place is created at the Hemel Hempstead Methodist Church to accommodate the AGBA Boxmoor Polling District

5. That Council note the outcome of the Polling District & Polling Place Review 2023 and approve the amended Polling District & Polling Place Order