Portsmouth City Council to look at overhaul of polling stations for elections

A series of changes will be considered by the city council's governance committee on Wednesday (September 14) in a bid to reduce overcrowding at some centres use during elections and to make others more accessible.

The review is the first of its kind since 2019 and is based on recommendations made by the council's chief executive David Williams, who is also the city's returning officer for elections, and councillors in a consultation.

Under the representation of the people act, the council is required to assess polling stations every five years, but brought forward it forward with several existing venues now no longer available to the council.

The following changes are proposed:

Baffins

The council's chief executive put forward several changes to polling stations in the ward in a bid to reduce crowding.

‘The existing polling scheme for Baffins places almost 7,000 electors into three polling districts at two locations: Baffins Community Centre and the Stacey Centre,’ Mr Williams’ response to the consultation said, recommending changes in the ward.

‘To improve the provision of voting facilities and reduce the number of voters allocated to these two venues, a reconfiguration of the central part of Baffins ward is proposed.’

Under the new scheme, an extra polling district will be created and two new polling stations used: one at Alderman Lacey Library and the other at St Joseph's Church.

All other polling stations will also remain in use.

The committee report says these changes ‘provide improved convenience for voters’ and ‘reduces the potential for overcrowding’ at Baffins Community Centre and the Stacey Centre.

Central Southsea

Some of the voters allocated to the polling station at Trinity Church Hall will be moved to a new venue at Havelock Community Centre in Fawcett Road.

The report recommends the change as the hall is deemed to be ‘too small to accommodate two polling stations’.

Copnor

Three polling stations are set to be relocated in the ward with two previous venues now unavailable to be used and concerns over the access to Copnor Methodist Church. lioness

The changes would see the following relocations take place:

New Horizons Primary to North End Baptist Church,

Saint Nicholas Church to Mayfield School,

and Copnor Methodist Church to Copnor Snooker Club.

The report says these changes 'provide a convenient and accessible scheme' for the ward.

The first two changes were proposed by Mr Williams while the latter was put forward by councillors Benedict Swann and Lewis Gosling who said it was 'more conveniently located and would avoid the need for voters to cross Copnor Road'.

Drayton and Farlington

The creation of a polling station at Court Lane Junior School to replace the infant school which can no longer be used.

Fratton

With Newbridge Junior School no longer available, the polling station be moved to St Wilfrid’s Church in George Street.

Hilsea

Changes are proposed in Hilsea to reduce overcrowding and to make use of bigger venues in the area on the recommendations of ward councillors Scott Payter-Harris, Russell Simpson and Daniel Wemyss.

‘The polling place at Northern Parade Children's Centre has limited space and is congested at busy times,' the report says. 'Relocating the polling places to the Christian science centre and to St Francis' Church will provide improved voting facilities.

This move will also see voters west of London Road from Magdalen Road to those on the northern side of Wadham Road, who until now have voted at the children's centre, be allocated to the existing polling station at Abstract Performing Arts Centre.

Milton

As well as addressing concerns about overcrowding at Eastney Methodist Church in recent elections, changes in the ward are also proposed to cater for an expected increase in voter numbers due to the proposals for St James’ Hospital.

District boundaries in the ward are set to be withdrawn ahead of this on top of the following polling station changes:

Meon School moved to St James' Church, Prince Albert Road moved to Bransbury Park leisure centre, and the creation of a new polling station at the Thatched House pub.

Nelson

The Salvation Army building in Powerscourt Road would replace Isambard Brunel School which can no longer be used as a polling station.

St Jude

St Simon's Church in Waverley Road would replace Wimbledon Park Sports Hall which is no longer available.

Should these changes be approved, they would be brought in in time for next year's elections.

The council is required to carry out its next review of polling stations between 2023 and 2025.