Polling District Reviews 2025

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.

Following the last review in 2024, the Council agreed to further review boundaries within the Sheffield Hallam constituency and to look at polling station provision within the OC polling district of Gleadless Valley ward. This review has considered changes to these areas, and proposes a change to the boundary between the KC and KD polling districts in East Ecclesfield ward and in polling station for the WG polling district in Southey ward.

Comments are welcomed from across the whole Sheffield City Council area (see below for details).

Boundary changes

Electors will continue to be electors of their current polling district in the event of any by-elections occurring before 1 December 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 or names, 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.

This review only covers the areas and places where you go to vote in person.

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, but all responses will be anonymised.

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

Please click on the Survey button at the bottom of this page to comment on the proposals. A map of the proposals can be viewed by clicking the Places button.

Any representations must be made in writing and must be received by the deadline of 5pm on Wednesday 3 September 2025.

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