Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillors Aziz, Begum, Duncan and Golby and from the Chief Executive.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th of June 2012.  Copy attached.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20^th June 2012 were approved and signed by the Chair.

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Report to follow.

The Democratic and Chief Executive Services Manager presented a report seeking amendments to polling places in eight polling districts in Northampton for all elections, referenda and polls from November 2012 onwards.

In response to Members’ comments and questions she stated that:

·         Changes were being recommended to polling places and polling stations largely as a result of feedback following Polling Day in May 2011 that some polling places which accommodated more than one polling station were becoming overcrowded or that some electors were having to travel more than a mile to their polling station, which was considered too far.  A further change had resulted from Bective Mobile, which had previously been used in Westone Ward, no longer being available, and it was proposed that a new polling place be established at Northampton College as a replacement.

·         She confirmed that all new polling places had been visited and were accessible for people with disabilities.  Mobiles could have ramps provided if necessary.

·         She would review the accessibility of Victoria Road Congregational Church in Castle Ward following comments by Councillor I Choudary that concerns had been expressed in the past about the accessibility of the venue.

·         Moving electors in NSMB from the polling station at Kingsthorpe Community Centre, which is a long distance for electors to walk, to the polling station at Holy Trinity Church Hall would result in three polling stations in the church hall but it was considered large enough to accommodate them as the electorate for NSMB is small, being less than four hundred in total with NSMA.  This was an exception to the other proposed amendments, where the number of polling stations was being reduced in some polling places.

RESOLVED:

1.     That the feedback and proposals outlined in appendix 1 of the report to the Committee be noted and that changes to the polling place that will be used by electors in the following wards and polling districts from November 2012 onwards be agreed:

Delapre & Briar Hill Ward                   Polling District SDBD

East Hunsbury Ward                          Polling Districts SNEHF and SNEHG

Rectory Farm Ward                             Polling District NRFD

Semilong Ward                                    Polling District NSMA and NSMB

Talavera Ward                                      Polling District STVF

Westone Ward                                     Polling District NWTA

2.     That the ability to amend the polling districts, polling places and polling stations as required for operational purposes be delegated to the Returning Officer.

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