The General Purposes Committee of Ealing Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday 24 February 2026 to discuss proposed changes to polling places for the upcoming Local Council Elections on 7 May 2026. The meeting's agenda also included the approval of minutes from a previous meeting.

Polling Place Changes for Local Council Elections

The primary item scheduled for discussion was the proposed changes to polling places for the Local Council Elections on 7 May 2026. This report, authored by Ross Jackson, Head of Elections, sought approval for temporary alterations to four polling places across the borough. These changes were necessitated by the unavailability of existing polling locations for polling districts DR, JS, QP, and YS.

The report outlined specific proposed replacements:

• Polling District DR (South Acton ward): The existing polling place at All Saints Church, Church Path, London W3 8AX, was unavailable due to repurposing. The proposed alternative is the Acton Gardens Community Centre, Unit A (rear of Sainsbury's) Munster Court, London W3 8UU. This centre is described as a prominent building with excellent polling facilities and disabled parking, though it is marginally outside the polling district.
• Polling District JS (Perivale ward): St John Fisher Church Hall, Langdale Gardens, Greenford UB6 8DQ, is unavailable due to extensive building works. The recommended replacement is Vicars Green Primary School, Lily Gardens, Wembley HA0 1DP, identified as the closest and most suitable option.
• Polling District QP (Northolt Mandeville ward): Islip Manor Community Centre, Arnold Road, Northolt UB5 5TB, is currently vacant with property guardians residing on site. The proposed alternative is the Lord Halsbury Clubhouse, 48 Arnold Road, Northolt UB5 5TB, noted as the only other suitable building within the polling district.
• Polling District YS (Dormers Wells ward): Holy Trinity Parish Hall, Park View Road, Southall UB1 3HJ, is unavailable as it is being repurposed. The proposed replacement is the Youth Adults Centre, Park View Road, Southall UB1 3HJ, which is adjacent to the previous location and is council-owned.

The report highlighted that these proposed changes are temporary and apply solely to the Local Council Elections on 7 May 2026. The report also included an Equalities Analysis Assessment (EAA) which detailed the impact of the proposals on various groups with protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. The assessment indicated positive impacts for age, disability, religion and belief, and pregnancy and maternity, with neutral impacts for gender reassignment, race, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage and civil partnership. The proposals were noted to have a positive impact on Human Rights, particularly concerning the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled voters. The report also referenced the council's commitment to ensuring reasonable facilities for voting as practicable in the circumstances, as mandated by the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The report indicated that the proposed changes would be cost-neutral.

Minutes of Previous Meeting

The committee was also scheduled to approve the minutes of the previous General Purposes Committee meeting, held on Tuesday, 4 November 2025.