Polling District Review

Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, the council has a duty to divide its area into polling districts and to designate a polling place for each district for Parliamentary elections. The arrangements made for parliamentary elections are also used at other elections, and the council must keep the arrangements under review.

The Electoral Administration Act 2006 (as amended) introduced a duty on all local authorities in Great Britain to review their polling districts and polling places at least once every five years.

Boundary changes

The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England concluded its consultation on a new review into parliamentary constituency boundaries on 3 August 2021. The proposals have now been made and came into force at the Parliamentary General Election, which held on 4 July 2024. This polling district and polling place review therefore uses the new parliamentary boundaries.

Electors will continue to be electors of their current polling district in the event of any by-elections occurring before 1 February 2025. For elections taking place after this date, and following approval of the new polling district scheme, the new polling districts will be used.

Neither the ward boundaries, nor the parliamentary constituency boundaries, can be changed as part of the council’s review of polling districts and polling places, as they are the responsibility of the relevant Boundary Commission.

The Review Process

A preliminary review has been undertaken by council officers to inform the proposals. Representations of the (Acting) Returning Officer have been included in this consultation paper. The council invites comments on these proposals.

The main issues considered in the development of the proposals were:

1. To try and identify new polling places in areas where the existing provision is unsuitable or unavailable.

2. To consider, as appropriate, feedback received following recent elections raised by members of the public, elected members and other stakeholders.

3. To ensure, as far as practicable, that any new polling places are accessible to people with disabilities.

4. To ensure that all electors have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.

5. To try to minimise disruption to schools. It should be noted that the (Acting) Returning Officer is entitled to use schools and academies free of charge^[1]. However, where alternative premises exist which can provide better facilities for voting, they may be considered.

The council is required to publish a notice of the holding of a review. Information about the review is made available on the council’s website. The consultation paper will be sent to councillors, Members of Parliament, local political parties, parish councils, and any other interested groups or persons, including those who have particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for disabled people.

Making comments

The council would welcome comments on the proposals. We would encourage anyone making representations to suggest alternative polling districts or places to those proposed where appropriate, along with their reasons, so that they may be given full consideration.

Anyone registered as an elector in the Penistone and Stocksbridge, Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough, Sheffield Central, Sheffield Hallam, Sheffield Heeley, or Sheffield South East constituencies may make representations to the council. Please note that all representations are required by law to be published.

Representations will also be considered from persons who have particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for disabled people.

Any representations must be made in writing and must be received by the deadline of Friday 15 November 2024.

Completion of review

The council will publish:

• The results of the review
• The minutes of council meetings concerning the review
• All correspondence received in connection with the review
• All representations made by any person in connection with the review

Role of the Electoral Commission

The council will follow guidance issued by the Electoral Commission in undertaking the review.

Although the Electoral Commission has no role in the review process itself, it can consider comments if people do not think that the review has met the reasonable requirements of electors or taken sufficient account of the needs of disabled electors.

The following people can make representations to the Electoral Commission:

• No less than 30 electors in the UK parliamentary constituency in which the polling district and/or place is situated
• any person who made comments during the review
• any parish council or parish meeting for the area
• any non-elector who the Commission feels has sufficient interest in the accessibility of disabled people

The Electoral Commission has the ability to direct the council to make alterations to polling places if it thinks that is necessary