Feedback from the Polling Stations Review Consultation
Process.
Polling District: Binstead
Present Location: Binstead Methodist Schoolroom
No comments received, other than a
verbal communication that disabled access will be put in place to the Methodist
Schoolroom at some point in the future.
Polling Districts: Chale and Chale Green
Present Locations: WI Hall Newport Road &
Methodist Schoolroom
Comments received from Chale
Parish Council:
1) There
would be a necessity to close the primary school
2) There is a
lack of suitable car parking
3) The
location is remote for electors in Chale Green and will foster voter apathy
4) The Parish
Council is attempting to address the requirements of the Disability
Discrimination Act with regard to the access at the WI Hall
A candidate at the 2001 elections
had “no reason to disagree” with either of the proposed moves, and the current
member of the Isle of Wight Council for the Division raised no objections.
Electoral Services Comments:
The school did not seem to be
concerned about any possible closure; with the advance knowledge of the date, a
development day could be programmed in.
Chale Primary School have advised
that the main car park can be used for parking, and this allows direct access
to the disabled doors.
The WI Hall in Chale Green is
closed and has now been sold; no suitable alternatives have been found, and the
Parish Council are aware of this.
The WI Hall does not have any form
of disabled access, nor are the works likely to commence in the near future.
The Parish Council are aware that any change of venue is not necessarily
permanent, and that if a suitable venue becomes available in Chale Green, then
it will be investigated.
Polling District: Fishbourne
Present Location: Binstead Methodist Schoolroom
No comments received.
Polling District: Freshwater Afton
Present Location: Wesley Hall, Brookside Road
Proposed Location: The Meeting Room, West Wight
Sports Centre
Comments received (from a
Candidate at the 2001 elections):
1) Only Pay
and Display parking adjacent to Sports Centre
2) The Sports
Centre is not central to the Electoral Division
3) Freshwater
Parish Council raised no objection to the use of the Sports Centre
Electoral Services Comments:
The Sports Centre has the use of
32 free spaces in the Upper Moa Place Car Park and this area will be available
to electors.
Other more central venues have
been considered, but these do not offer the same range of facilities as the
Sports Centre, and the use of these venues would have little impact on the
number of electors having to travel to the Polling Station by car.
Clive – exactly where in the
Sports Centre will the polling station be? – best to specify.
Polling District: Freshwater Norton (Part 2)
Present Location: The Masonic Hall, Solent Hill
Comments received:
1) Freshwater
Parish Council felt the proposed venue was not central to the area
2) Another
respondent was concerned about transport links, and suggested that both Polling
Districts in Freshwater Norton could use the Memorial Hall.
Electoral Services Comments:
1) In fact
the Savoy Country Club is far more central to the Polling District, and is
adjacent to the largest density of housing in the area.
2) Merging
the Polling Districts would not be to the advantage of the electors in the more
distant area around Hallets Shute and Norton.
3) Both
venues are on the same main road, and about equidistant from their respective
bus stops.
Polling District: Gatcombe
Present Location: Chillerton Community Hall
Proposed Location: Chillerton Primary School
Comments received from Gatcombe
Parish Council:
An objection was lodged on the
following grounds:
1)
Poor access for the disabled to the school premises
2)
The unnecessary closure of the school
3)
The loss of income to the Community Association
Gatcombe Community Association
raised similar concerns to those expressed by the Parish Council.
One candidate at the 2001
elections thought that “this would be a very good idea”.
Electoral Services Comments:
There is disabled access directly
into the main school hall from the side of the building – this leads straight
to the parking area, but it is situated up a fairly steep drive off the main
road.
The school did not seem to be
concerned about any possible closure; with the advance knowledge of the date, a
development day could be programmed in.
The potential loss of income to
the Community Association should not be a determining factor in deciding which
building is best suited to serve the electortate. However, as a result of these
submissions, a further visit to Chillerton Community Hall resulted in agreement
that a number of modifications would be made to create a more suitable disabled
access route.
Polling District: Ryde South East (Part 2)
Present Location: St. Michaels Church Hall
Proposed Location: Swanmore Middle School
One letter of support in the
proposed move was received.
Polling District: St. Helens
Present Location: St. Helens Youth Club
No comments received, other than a
message of “no objections whatsoever” from St. Helens Parish Council.
Polling District: Wroxall
Present Location: St. Johns Church Hall
The clerk to Wroxall Parish
Council telephoned to report that the Council had no objection to the proposed
move.
Polling District: Yarmouth
Present Location: Yarmouth Guide and Scout HQ
The clerk to Yarmouth Town Council
has reported that the Council have no objection to the proposed move, subject
to the new location being adequately signed.