Purpose

To provide an update on the review of the local authority polling districts and polling places undertaken in accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013.

Decision

That the Chief Executive:

i)             Agrees the changes to the polling district and places for Alperton Ward, as discussed at the General Purposes Committee held on 22 January 2024.

ii)            Agrees the change to the polling place for Kilburn Ward that occurred after the General Purposes Committee.

Reasons for the decision

In accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, every local authority in England and Wales must undertake and complete a review of all polling districts and polling places in its area within a 16-month period commencing from 1 October 2023 to 31 January 2025. A review, triggered by the Local Boundary Commission for England took place in 2021 with changes effective for the May 2022 elections. A similar review therefore took place recently.

A review of the Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations of the London Borough of Brent has taken place. The recommendations resulting from this were presented to the General Purposes Committee on 22 January 2024. The report made recommendations to a number of wards.

The report agreed to continue to review alternative polling places for the Alperton Ward, which officers agreed to explore. As a result of this exploration, an alternative polling place has been identified at Bluebell Nursery, Carlyon Road.

Using this polling place will ease the burden on electors having to travel to the St Georges Hub and there will no longer be the need to resituate the polling district lines between AL3 and AL4.

In summary, voters in AL3 will be serviced by the new polling place at Bluebell Nursery and voters in AL4 will be serviced by the current polling place at the St Georges Hub. There will no longer be the need to use Lyon Park Primary as an additional polling place meaning that the School will not need to close for polling day.

Following the General Purposes Committee, Kilburn Square Committee Hall, which is located in the Kilburn ward, informed Electoral Services that the venue would be undergoing major building work and could not be used as a polling location. An alternative polling place was identified at Kilburn Evangelical Free Church.

Alternative options considered

For the Alperton Ward the Council will keep the polling station location under review including continuing to monitor the status of the old Abbey Community Centre.

For the Kilburn Ward other locations were contacted and considered including Kilburn Grange School, Ruach City Church and the UCKG Help Centre but these were either unavailable or not deemed suitable.