Background to the review
In October 2018, we did a review of Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations. This followed a boundary review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) and the subsequent Blackburn with Darwen (Electoral Changes) Order 2017.
In accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, we must regularly review the division of our area into polling districts and the places where electors are asked to vote.
Notice of the review of polling districts.
The review process
A preliminary review has been undertaken by the Elections team to inform the proposals on which we are asking for comments.
The main issues considered in the development of the proposals were:
a) To try and identify new polling places in areas where the existing provision is unsuitable/unavailable or where there have been issues (for example, temporary mobile/cabins)
b) To consider, as appropriate, feedback received following recent elections raised by members of the public, elected members, polling stations staff, polling station inspectors and other stakeholders.
c) To ensure that any new polling places are accessible to people with disabilities and comply with the requirements under Elections Act 2022.
d) To ensure that all electors have such reasonable facilities for voting, including privacy areas for voter ID requirements.
Read the full consultation.
Proposals
Read our polling district and polling places proposals.
Details of the current polling district and polling places and the proposed changes for each of the 17 wards in Blackburn with Darwen can be found on our electoral ward maps page.
Consultation
A consultation took place between 2 October and 10 November 2023.
Blackburn with Darwen councillors considered recommendations for polling places changes at the Policy Council meeting on Thursday 30 November.
The review took into consideration, where relevant, the recommendations for changes to the UK Parliamentary constituency boundaries and the impact of the voter ID requirements introduced by the Elections Act 2022.
The review also considered various feedback received following recent elections, and from visiting a number of existing and proposed polling places and stations across the borough, as well as feedback from schools that are used as polling stations.
The Council also considered:
- the number of polling stations allocated for a given electorate
- the physical geography of a ward, including railway lines, dual carriageways
- the shape of the ward itself
- the situation of polling places in relation to wider amenities
- the main transport routes within a ward.
The recommendations are for the vast majority of polling stations to remain the same, although some polling district boundaries within existing electoral wards are to be amended to take account of new housing developments. Electoral ward boundaries are not changing.
Once agreed, the new polling arrangements would be implemented at the next scheduled local government elections on 2 May 2024 – or earlier in the event of a General Election or a referendum.
The implementation of the new polling arrangements will require some changes to the electoral register. The new electoral register will be published on 1 February 2024, following a statutory 14 day notice period.
You can read the full report with recommendations for changes to polling places.
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