Guildford Borough Council has conducted a review of polling districts and polling stations according to Section 18C (1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983.
This was a statutory requirement for 2007 and must be carried out again within the next 4 years.
All the documentation relating to the statutory review is available for inspection at the Electoral Services Office, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead Guildford during normal office hours.
Following the review the changes below were approved by the Council and took effect on 1 December 2007 on publication of the 2008 register of electors.
Creation of a new Polling District in Onslow
A new polling district in Onslow for the university accommodation at Manor Park to be named Onslow (Manor Park).
The polling place for this polling district will be outside of the area in the Foyer to the University Lecture Theatres on the main campus. This was approved as the designated polling place due to the lack of suitable accommodation for a polling station in the F5 area itself and because of the ease of access for students to the main campus.
The Council also approved the following changes to the default polling places on 6 December 2007:
N1 Effingham (North) and N2 Effingham (South)
These polling places are moved from Effingham Methodist Church and Hall to a double polling station in King George V Hall, Browns Lane Effingham where access and parking is greatly improved.
L2 Worplesdon (Wood Street)
This polling place is moved from Wood Street County First School to St Albans Church Hall, Wood Street Village.
D1 Holy Trinity (West)
The default polling place is confirmed as the Pupil Referral Unit, Pewley Hill.
All other default polling places remain the same but are under constant review.
For further information please contact the Electoral Services Manager using the details at the bottom of this page.
Maps
View maps of the current polling places, the polling station you select is indicated by a pink dot and black location arrow in the middle of the map. Alternatively, visit our interactive maps for their positions in relation to polling districts and addresses within the borough. The polling stations are again indicated by pink dots on the maps. Polling district maps are also available for inspection at the Electoral Services Office at the address at the bottom of this page.
What is a polling district?
A polling district is a geographical sub-division of an electoral area i.e. a UK Parliamentary constituency, a European Parliamentary electoral region, a county electoral division or a local authority ward.
Who is responsible for designating polling districts?
Every relevant authority in the UK is responsible for dividing its area into polling districts for UK Parliamentary elections for so much of any constituency as is situated in its area, and for keeping the polling districts under review.
Do the polling districts have to be the same for every type of election?
Wherever possible the polling districts for local government elections must mirror that agreed for parliamentary elections.
Did the review affect the local ward boundaries?
No, they can only be altered by the Boundaries Commission during their periodic reviews.
Did anything happen regarding parish boundaries?
Each parish in England must be in a separate polling district unless there are special circumstances that lead the authority to determine otherwise.
What were the background rules?
When designating polling districts, relevant authorities must seek to ensure that all the electors in the constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.
What is the difference between a polling place and a polling station?
A polling place is a geographical area in which a polling station is located. However, as there is no legal definition of a polling place, the ‘area’ could be as small as a particular building or the entire polling district. The polling place for a polling district should be within the area of the polling district unless special circumstances make it desirable or necessary to designate a place outside the polling district.
A polling station is the actual area (room) where the voting takes place and must be located within the polling place designated for the particular polling district. You can have more than one polling station in a polling place. The review was concerned about polling places rather than polling stations.
What happens on completion of the review?
On completion of the review, the local authority is required to give reasons for its decisions in respect of the designation of both polling districts and polling places and must publish:
- all correspondence sent to a Returning Officer in connection with the review
- all correspondence sent to any person whom the authority thinks has particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability
- all representations made by any person in connection with the review
- the minutes of any meetings held
- details of the agreed designation of polling places and polling districts
- details of where the results of the review have been published
Electoral Services Manager
Electoral Services
Guildford Borough Council
Millmead House
Millmead
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 4BB
Tel: 01483 444101
Email: lynda.murlewski@guildford.gov.uk