Polling places and districts consultation 2024

Consultation closed: 23 April 2024
Consultation opened: 5 March 2024

We are conducting a review of our polling districts and polling places as required by the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006. Although the review is primarily of polling places and polling districts, it is recognised that polling stations will also be relevant to the review. Following a review conducted in 2023 by the Boundary Commission for England, the proposed Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries for Central Bedfordshire will come into effect at the next general election.

The review is an ideal opportunity for electors, community groups and any interested persons within Central Bedfordshire to express their opinions on the existing polling places, districts and stations, and to suggest alternative options for consideration.

Parish Breakdown – Review Document (PDF) – details of current polling places, districts and stations are in this document.

Polling places and polling districts analysis (Excel) – further information about the individual polling stations, including accessibility, parish and ward are in this document.

The review requires us to:

• seek to ensure that all the electors in the constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances
• seek to ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable, the polling places they are responsible for are accessible to all electors, and when considering the designation of a polling place, must have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons

The review is open from 5 March 2024 until 23 April 2024.

About the review

Please note that the following is not considered as part of the review:

The changing of any district ward boundaries (which can only be done by statute following an electoral review carried out by the Local Government Boundary Commission). This review is concerned only with the administrative subdivision of a ward into polling districts which are then assigned polling places.

The changing of polling districts in areas which are also aligned with parish boundaries and therefore cannot be amended during this review (these can only be amended during a Community Governance Review).

View map of proposed polling places and districts

Definitions

A polling place is the area in which the Returning Officer will allocate a polling station. The polling place should be designated so that the polling station is within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district.

A polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election.

A polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place.

Agreement from acting returning officers

North Bedfordshire and Mid Bedfordshire

Hi Brian

Thanks for your email. I can't see that there have been any changes to the polling places that impact on North Bedfordshire and/or Mid Bedfordshire that would cause a concern so happy to agree your proposals.

Thanks
Lesley

Lesley Blue
Democratic & Electoral Services Manager and Statutory Scrutiny Officer
Bedford Borough Council

Luton South and South Bedfordshire

Hi Brian

The 'Luton South and South Bedfordshire' polling station entries are agreed.

Regards

Sam

Sam Freer
Electoral Services Manager
Luton Borough Council

Hitchin

Dear Marcel,

As the Acting Returning Officer for the Hitchin parliamentary constituency, I support the allocation of Polling Districts and Polling Places as outlined in the draft proposals in full.

I also fully support the polling stations allocated to those Polling Districts and Polling Places within the Hitchin constituency.

Yours sincerely,

Melanie Stimpson
Acting Returning Officer
Hitchin Constituency