Agenda item

To consider the report CEX/54 of the Chief Executive.

 

The Electoral Services Manager, as part of this report, will provide a general verbal update on the May 2021 Elections.

The Committee considered report CEX/54 of the Chief Executive.  The Electoral Services Manager introduced the report to the Committee, which set out proposed changes to the polling arrangements for the May 2021 elections in light of the Coronavirus pandemic.  It was proposed that the reduction in the number of polling places from 27 to 23 would mitigate the problem of a projected shortfall in experienced Senior Presiding Officers, and would ensure that no schools would be used as polling places.

 

General Issues

 

The Committee asked that its thanks to Electoral Services staff be recorded for their work on complex matters under exceptional circumstances.  Committee members discussed the Government’s aim to proceed with the May 2021 elections and expressed worries in relation to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.  Concerns were raised regarding the loss of polling places and the impact this may have on voter turnout.  It was heard that the Council would ensure COVID-safe precautions would be taken if the elections were to go ahead, but that preparations also needed to be made for the eventuality of cancellation of the elections.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Crow and seconded by Councillor Lamb that the Council’s Chief Executive, as Returning Officer, be asked to write to the Government to convey the Committee’s request that the elections be postponed to a later date due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

 

A recorded vote was taken on the proposal in accordance with the Council’s Virtual Committee Procedure Rules.  The names of the councillors voting for and against the proposal, along with any abstentions, were recorded as follows:

 

For the proposal:

Councillors Burrett, Crow, Eade, Jones, Lamb, Lanzer, Lunnon, Malik, McCarthy, and Mullins (10).

 

Against the proposal:

None (0).

 

Abstentions:

None (0).

 

The motion was therefore declared to be CARRIED.

 

To assist in the Committee’s consideration of the recommended changes in polling places, the Chair advised that he intended to split the discussion based on the polling places set out in sections 5.7 and 5.9 of the report.

 

Broadfield Scout Hut and Creasys Drive Adventure Playground

 

Committee members discussed the proposal to change the polling places for polling districts LAB (part of Bewbush & North Broadfield Ward), LBB (part of Broadfield Ward), and LEB (part of Gossops Green & North East Broadfield Ward) to one combined polling place, the Broadfield Community Centre.  The impact on queueing time, the flow of voters moving through the building, and turnout were discussed.  A ward member for Broadfield expressed concerns regarding the entrance/exit points and that the proposals may cause confusion for voters.  The Electoral Services Manager confirmed that measures for controlling the flow of voters were being explored.  The main reason for this proposal was the projected staff shortages.

 

The Grattons Indoor Bowls Club

 

It was recognised that moving the polling place for polling district LJA (part of Pound Hill North & Forge Wood Ward) from the Bowls Club to Milton Mount Community Centre was necessary at present, however ward members for Pound Hill North and Forge Wood requested that this be a temporary measure for the 2021 elections only.

 

The Mill Primary School

 

It was noted that the electorate for polling districts LFB (part of Ifield Ward) and LFD (part of Ifield Ward) was relatively small, and it was proposed that those electorates would be split between two existing polling places; the Ifield Community Centre and Ifield West Community Centre.

 

The Brook School

 

Committee members were conscious that the journey time for some voters within polling district LHB (part of Maidenbower Ward) would potentially increase should their polling place be temporarily changed from The Brook School to Maidenbower Community Centre.  The Committee heard that this was proposed as a temporary measure.

 

Forge Wood Primary School

 

A ward member for Pound Hill North and Forge Wood (polling district LJC) expressed concerns about the proposed polling place of Wakehams Green Community Centre but recognised the importance of avoiding the use of schools as polling places, as well as the lack of any other suitable public buildings in the Forge Wood area.  It was noted that a community centre was due to be built in the area which was intended to be used as a future polling place.

 

Use of Schools as Polling Stations

 

Committee members discussed the difficulties of using schools as polling places during the Coronavirus pandemic due to the cleaning required and the disruption to education.  Committee members suggested that it may instead be possible to use marquees as temporary polling places.  These would allow voters to retain proximity to their current polling place as well as providing good ventilation and thus helping to be COVID-secure.  The Electoral Services Manager stated that this proposal would have to take into consideration extra costs, the shortfall of staff, lighting, and possible bad weather.

 

Amendment

 

It was proposed by Councillor Lamb and seconded by Councillor Jones that the Returning Officer and the Electoral Services Team be asked to investigate the possibility of providing alternative accommodation (such as marquees) as polling places on, or near to, the premises of the three current school polling places and that, where it proves unfeasible to provide such alternative accommodation, the temporary polling place/s set out in paragraph 5.9 of report CEX/54 be used.

 

A recorded vote was taken on the proposal in accordance with the Council’s Virtual Committee Procedure Rules.  The names of the councillors voting for and against the proposal, along with any abstentions, were recorded as follows:

 

For the proposal:

Councillors Burrett, Jones, Lamb, Lanzer, Malik, McCarthy, and Mullins (7).

 

Against the proposal:

Councillors Crow, Eade, and Lunnon (3).

 

Abstentions:

None (0).

 

The amendment was therefore declared to be CARRIED.

 

A recorded vote was then taken on the recommendations set out in report CEX/54 (as amended) in accordance with the Council’s Virtual Committee Procedure Rules.  The names of the councillors voting for and against the recommendations, along with any abstentions, were recorded as follows:

 

For the recommendations:

Councillors Burrett, Crow, Eade, Lanzer, and McCarthy (5).

 

Against the recommendations:

Councillors Jones, Lamb, Lunnon, Malik, and Mullins (5).

 

Abstentions:

None (0).

 

As a result of the tied vote, the Chair used the casting vote to vote FOR the proposal.  There were therefore six votes for the proposal and five votes against.  The motion was therefore declared to be CARRIED.

 

RESOLVED

 

1.    That the Full Council be recommended to approve the temporary Polling Scheme set out in Appendix B to these minutes for the May 2021 elections, subject to the Returning Officer and Electoral Services staff’s investigation concluding that it is feasible (within the constraints of the budget) to provide alternative accommodation as polling places on, or near to, the school premises of the existing polling places of The Mill Primary School, The Brook School, and Forge Wood Primary School.  Should it prove unfeasible to provide such alternative accommodation, that the Full Council be recommended to make the temporary change/s to the Polling Scheme for the May 2021 elections set out in paragraph 5.9 of report CEX/54.

 

2.    That authority is delegated to the Returning Officer, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governance Committee, to make temporary changes to the Polling Scheme whilst the COVID-19 pandemic response is in effect.

 

3.    That the Chief Executive, as Returning Officer, writes to the Government to convey the Committee’s request that the elections be postponed to a later date due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.

 

 

NOTE BY THE DEMOCRATIC SERVICES MANAGER

 

Included as Appendix C to these minutes is a note from the Returning Officer following the request by the Governance Committee above to investigate the viability as to whether alternative accommodation could be arranged for Polling Places on, or near to, the three existing schools which were currently named as Polling Places.