Overview

Consultation update


Following consideration of all responses, final proposals for polling places and polling districts have been produced for the Full Council meeting on 11 October 2022. The report recommended that these changes came into effect on 1 March 2023. The revised scheme of polling stations and polling places will be used at future national and local elections and referendums.

Following the Local Government Boundary Commission’s review of the council’s wards, the number of wards in the Gravesham will decrease from 18 to 17 at the next council elections in May 2023 (subject to Parliamentary approval).

See the full details of the Boundary Commission’s ward boundary changes

They proposed that Gravesham should be represented by 39 councillors in future and they represent six three-councillor wards and ten two-councillor wards, and one single-councillor ward across the borough

As a result of the new ward arrangements, it was necessary for the authority to undertake a full review of all polling districts and polling places for the new wards:

Notice of Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places

The Proposals

Proposals for polling districts and polling places for each of the 17 new wards will be published by the (Acting) Returning Officer on 11 July.

The proposals are based on the following key considerations:

  • The suitability and availability of polling places for use as polling stations
  • The accessibility of every polling place to electors who are disabled
  • The designation of a polling place is within a reasonable reach of all electors from across a polling district
  • Physical barriers such as parks, railway lines and main roads
  • To have due regard to the number of electors allocated to a polling station.

You can view the proposals via:

Consultation

The council welcomes proposals and/or comments from any interested person within the authority or within a UK Parliamentary constituency which has any part in the authority, may make a representation about any aspect of the polling districts or polling places to be used at future elections.

Proposals and comments are particularly sought from Disabled residents, and from individual people or interested groups and organisations who have experience in making facilities and premises accessible, particularly for Disabled people.

Anyone commenting on the suitability of existing or proposed polling places is asked to provide suggestions for alternative venues, where possible, to assist the review process.

Representations should be made by email to elections@gravesham.gov.uk or in writing to the Electoral Services, Gravesham Borough Council, Civic Centre, Windmill Street, Gravesend, DA12 1AU. Details of representations received will be made available for public inspection. This consultation ended on the 19 August 2022.

Further information may be obtained by contacting Electoral Services on 01474 337253.

Useful Information

Dates throughout the review

  • 11 July 2022 - Publication of the Notice of polling district review on our website and at council offices and the start of the Polling district review consultation.
  • 19 August 2022 - The closing date for representations to the polling district review consultation.
  • 22 August 2022 to 5 September 2022 - Polling district review consultation responses considered
  • 11 October 2022 - Council agrees final scheme
  • After 11 October 2022 - Publication of the final arrangements on our website and at the council offices.