Electoral Services
Please ask for: Suzanne Taylor
Email: elections@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Direct Line: 01263 516046
Fax: 01263 515042
Date: 2 August 2011
Holt Road
Cromer
NR27 9EN
Example letter re polling review
Dear
North Norfolk District Council - Polling Districts and Polling Places Review 2011
To comply with the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections)
Regulations 2006, every council in England and Wales must undertake a review of all of the
polling districts and polling places in its area by 31 December 2011. I enclose for your
information a public notice and timetable in this respect which was published on 1st August
2011, the date the North Norfolk review formally started. If you are able to display this Notice
on your notice board it would be greatly appreciated as electors can also contribute should
they wish to.
I enclose a document which details the background information, the Returning Officers
proposals, the Ward Table that includes your town/parish along with a map of North Norfolk
Wards showing existing Polling Districts and Polling Stations. The full consultation document
which includes all the Ward Tables of existing Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling
Stations can be found on the Council’s website at the Electoral Services page via this link
http://www.northnorfolk.org/council/8850.asp Ordnance Survey Election Maps can also
be viewed via this link. These maps will enable you to closely scrutinise existing boundaries
on a scale far more detailed than our printed maps with colour, zoom, panning and search
facilities. You will also be able to print off any particular section that you may be interested in
to a scale that will suit. Please use the Help facility once in the web site.
Although the review is of polling districts and polling places it is accepted that polling stations
are inextricably linked to the review and comments are invited re those stations currently
used and/or any suggested alternatives ensuring that:
1. Electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the
circumstances, and
2. As far as is reasonable and practicable, that polling places are accessible to all
electors, including those who are disabled, and when designating a polling place, have
regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons.
I draw your attention to the Returning Officers summary of proposed changes on page 15 of
the consultation document, particularly those within your area, requesting suggestions for
new and alternative polling places/stations. Where a polling district does not currently have
its own polling station you will notice that the Returning Officer has proposed that a polling
station be found in that polling district.
Cont.
.
You will also notice that where a polling district is very small (e.g. with an electorate of 100 or
under) the Returning Officer has proposed that these electors vote at a neighbouring polling
station and suggestions for the most suitable station have been invited.
I shall be grateful to receive any observations or representations that your Council may wish
to submit in connection with the suitability of the current electoral arrangements. This
includes details of any alternative premises in your polling district which you may feel are
more suitable than those used at present. Comments that support the Returning Officer’s
proposals are also welcomed because they will provide a balance of opinions including
supporting the areas of no change.
If you choose to contribute and comment on the existing arrangements or wish to suggest or
propose alternative arrangements you will need to do so in writing by Monday 5th
September 2011 to the Council at the following address: Suzanne Taylor, Electoral Services
Manager, North Norfolk District Council, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN or email:
elections@north-norfolk.gov.uk I will incorporate any contributions in my report to this
Council at the end of the consultation period.
Once the process has been concluded the final proposals will be considered by Council
during October 2011 in time to enable the Electoral Registration Officer to make any
alterations necessary to the Polling Districts when the next revised Register of Electors is
published on Thursday 1 December 2011.
Please note, any observations made will form part of the public consultation and will be
formally published along with all representations received.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information or
clarification on any aspect of this review. I am taking two weeks annual leave from 8th to 22nd
August while people consider the consultation document and submit their responses. If you
have a query or question while I am away, Tony Ing (Strategic Director for Information) will
be available until the 16th and then Philip Burton from 17th to 22nd August.
Yours sincerely
Suzanne Taylor AEA (Cert)
Electoral Services Manager