Consultations

Interim Polling Place Review 2025

In accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as amended by the Electoral Administration Act 2006), a public consultation is being held, prior to seeking Council approval on 19 March 2025, to make permanent the three polling stations listed below :   

Ward: Emsworth

Polling District: EMSA

Current Polling Place address: Sports Pavillion, Hollybank Recreational Ground, Southleigh Road, Emsworth, PO10 7TA

Proposed Polling Place address: Little Explorers Nursery School, 7 Lutman Street, Emsworth, PO10 7XQ

Reason for the change: The Sports Pavillion does not meet accessibility requirements as outlined in the Elections Act 2022. The venue is unsuitable and requires substantial work with financial support to continue to be used as a polling station.

The proposed venue of the Little Explorers Nursery which occupies the north Emsworth Community Hall already has all the facilities needed to meet accessibility requirements, addressing all the issues of the current polling station site.  It is close to the recreational ground and well situated within a housing estate.

 

Ward: Stakes

Polling District: STKC

Current Polling Place address: Crookhorn College, Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, PO7 5UD

Proposed Polling Place address: St Peters Catholic Primary School, Stakes Hill Road, Waterlooville, PO7 7BP

Reason for the change: The currently polling venue at Crookhorn College, a secondary school, is sited within the heart of the school grounds and historically the school have remained open.  This causes security concerns for pupils. Setting of inset days for a school closure to address this, during May, is not acceptable due to GCSE examinations.

The proposed site of St Peters Catholic School is in a separate building, close to the school perimeter fence, with its own entrance.  Accessibility is very good and is fairly close to the current polling place. Isolation of the building with temporary fencing will therefore not impact on the school itself or its pupils.

Should an inset day or school closure be required, it would have minimal impact as it is a primary school.

 

Ward: Stakes

Polling District: STKD

Current Polling Place address: Growing Places, Mill Hill School, Mill Road, Waterlooville PO7 7DB

Proposed Polling Place address: Robin’s Oak, Mill Road, Waterlooville, PO7 7DB

Reason for the change: There has been a change of use to the building currently being used as a polling station, into to a full time SEN (Special Educational Needs) provision.

Owing to extensive and severely delayed work to Hampshire County Council’s Growing Places building earlier in 2024, and to ensure the safely of the electors, an alternative venue was needed. 

The proposed change venue of Robin’s Oak, also used as a SEN provision, no service is provided (nor likely to) on Thursday’s. 

Robin’s Oak is situated next door to a school, that is extensive sign-posting and is well known by local residents, offering a far superior space for electors to vote.

This site was used as an emergency in the local and United Kingdom Parliamentary Government election in 2024 and proved to work extremely well, with no issues being reported by electors or the electoral services team.  

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The consultation will run until 5pm, Friday 7 February 2025 and the council welcomes representations and views from any interested party that wishes to comment on any aspect of the polling places and/or polling stations proposed. Comments are also welcomed from any interested person registered as an elector within the council area or within a UK parliamentary constituency which has any part within the council area.

Anyone commenting on the suitability a polling place should, if possible, give alternative venues that may be used as polling places if they feel the currently proposed polling place / polling stations are unsuitable.

The council welcomes representations from any person or body with expertise in access for people with any type of disability. Similarly, representations from residents with disabilities would be particularly welcomed.

If you would like to comment on the existing arrangements or wish to propose alternative arrangements on the proposed changes, please do so by 5pm, Friday 7 February 2025 by email at elections.office@havant.gov.uk

or in writing to:

The Electoral Registration Officer

Havant Borough Council

Public Service Plaza

Havant, PO9 2AX     

Any comments made will form part of the public consultation feedback and will be published along with all representations received. Personal data e.g. your name and address will be excluded from the review conclusion made available to the public.

Previous consultations

Review of Parliamentary Constituencies

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) carries out electoral reviews of local authorities throughout England.

Havant Borough Council has not been reviewed since 2000 and the Commission therefore decided that it should review Havant in advance of the elections in 2024. This exercise was conducted between September 2021 and November 2022.

The report by the Boundary Commission for England (BCE) outlining their final recommendations for Havant Borough can be found at LGBCE.org.uk

The review concluded that Havant would consist of 2 constituencies, namely;

  • Havant
  • Fareham and Waterlooville

You can find more information about Boundary reviews on the Boundary Commission for England website.

Polling District and Places Review 2023

Under the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 all local authorities are required to complete a formal review of their parliamentary polling districts and polling places at least every five years. The last review in Havant took place in 2024.

The Polling District and Polling Place Review report and accompanying documents that were approved by council in January 2024 can be found at Polling District and Polling Place Review.

All local authorities are required by law to review their polling districts, polling places, and polling stations for Parliamentary Constituencies every five years. 

You can find more information in relation to Polling District and Polling Place Reviews on the Electoral Commission website.

Polling District & Polling Place Review 2023 - Once the local authority has published the results of its review, specified interested parties may make representations to the Commission to reconsider any polling districts and polling places.

The Havant Borough Council review started on 2 October 2023 and closed in January 2024. The consultation period was from Monday 2 October until Monday 20 November 2023.

Any comments made formed part of the public consultation feedback and were published along with all representations received.

Where is my polling station?

As a result of a Polling District / Polling Place Review, your polling station may have changed.

You can search for your nearest polling station ahead of any upcoming election by visiting the where do I vote? website. You will also find this information on your poll card.