Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Marilyn Badcock with Councillor Mike Badcock in attendance as substitute and Councillor Tony de Vere with Councillor Jim Halliday in attendance as substitute.

In the absence of the Chairman, Councillor Yvonne Constance, and the Vice-Chairman, Councillor Tony de Vere, the committee elected Councillor Mike Badcock as Chairman for this meeting.

None.

To consider the report of the chief executive on proposals for polling districts and polling places following a periodic review required by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 – report to follow.   

The committee considered the report of the chief executive on proposals for polling districts and polling places following a periodic review required by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013.

The chief executive advised that officers would assess the suitability of the following venues as polling places:

·         The Silver Band Hall, Tugwell Field as a polling place for Wantage Charlton

·         Merestones or Woolstone Lodge as a polling place for Woolstone.

 
The committee supported the designations as set out in the schedule of polling districts and polling places attached as appendix A to the report subject to the following amendments and proposals to aid voter convenience:

·         Designate Abingdon Baptist Church, subject to availability, as a polling place for Caldecott. If unavailable consider designation of Trinity Church Hall if separate rooms available.

·         Designate Northcourt Centre as a polling place for those electors living in Wildmoor town ward (Abingdon Fitzharris district) with separate rooms to avoid confusion.

·         Designate All Saints Methodist Church as a polling place for Abingdon Dunmore Ward whilst noting that the venue is designated as a polling place for the Abbey Northcourt ward. The returning officer advised that he would only consider this if he could achieve suitable separation of electors.

RESOLVED: to

1.    approve the schedule of polling districts and polling places set out in Appendix A to the report of the chief executive to the meeting of the Community Governance and Electoral Issues Committee on 27 January 2015 subject to the changes agreed at the meeting;

2.    authorise the chief executive, acting in his capacity as the council’s returning officer, to make changes to polling districts and polling places where circumstances dictate that this is desirable, having first consulted with members of the committee and the local councillor(s).