Purpose

To provide an update on the review of the
local authority polling districts and polling places undertaken in
accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act
2013.

Content

That the Chief Executive:
 
i)            
Agrees the changes to the polling district and places for Alperton
Ward, as discussed at the General Purposes Committee held on 22
January 2024.
 
ii)           
Agrees the change to the polling place for Kilburn Ward that
occurred after the General Purposes Committee.

Reasons for the decision

In
accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act
2013, every local authority in England and Wales must undertake and
complete a review of all polling districts and polling places in
its area within a 16-month period commencing from 1 October 2023 to
31 January 2025. A review, triggered by the Local Boundary
Commission for England took place in 2021 with changes effective
for the May 2022 elections. A similar review therefore took place
recently.
 
A review of
the Polling Districts, Polling Places and Polling Stations of the
London Borough of Brent has taken place. The recommendations
resulting from this were presented to the General Purposes
Committee on 22 January 2024. The report made
recommendations to a number of wards.

 

The report agreed to
continue to review alternative polling places for the Alperton
Ward, which officers agreed to explore. As a result of this
exploration, an alternative polling place has been identified at
Bluebell Nursery, Carlyon Road.
 
Using this polling
place will ease the burden on electors having to travel to the St
Georges Hub and there will no longer be the need to resituate the
polling district lines between AL3 and AL4.
 
In summary, voters in
AL3 will be serviced by the new polling place at Bluebell Nursery
and voters in AL4 will be serviced by the current polling place at
the St Georges Hub. There will no longer be the need to use Lyon
Park Primary as an additional polling place meaning that the School
will not need to close for polling day.
 
Following the General Purposes
Committee, Kilburn Square Committee Hall, which is located in the
Kilburn ward, informed Electoral Services that the venue would be
undergoing major building work and could not be used as a polling
location. An alternative polling place was identified at
Kilburn Evangelical Free Church.

 

Alternative options considered

For the Alperton
Ward the Council will keep the polling station location under
review including continuing to monitor the status of the old Abbey
Community Centre.
 
For the Kilburn Ward
other locations were contacted and considered including Kilburn
Grange School, Ruach City Church and the UCKG Help Centre but these
were either unavailable or not deemed
suitable.