The General Purposes Committee of Brent Council met on Monday 22 January 2024 to review and approve changes to polling districts and polling places across the borough. The committee agreed to a series of recommendations aimed at improving accessibility and reducing congestion at polling stations for upcoming elections.

Review of Polling Districts and Places

The committee reviewed a report detailing the outcomes of a consultation on polling districts and places, undertaken in accordance with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013. The review sought to ensure that polling arrangements are accessible and efficient for all electors ahead of the London Mayoral and GLA elections in May 2024.

Key decisions made include:

• Alperton Ward: Polling district AL4 will move from the Grand Union Community Hub to Lyon Park School. Polling district AL3 will remain at the Grand Union Community Hub, with its boundary amended to include the St Georges, Grand Union area. This change aims to alleviate congestion experienced at the Grand Union Hub during previous elections.
• Kingsbury Ward: The polling station at KY1 Village School will be relocated to Kingsbury Service Club. This move addresses concerns raised about the suitability of the Village School, a Special Educational Needs school, as a polling station.
• Queensbury Ward: Polling district QY2 will be split, with electors now voting in polling district QY1. This adjustment aims to manage the number of electors per polling place and reduce the reliance on portacabins.
• Sudbury Ward: Sudbury Baptist Church will be used as a polling station, and a new polling district will be created. This addresses confusion experienced by voters south of the underground line in the 2022 local elections.
• Wembley Central Ward: Work is ongoing to identify a new polling location for polling district WC3, as the current location at Ealing Road Library serves a large electorate and experienced congestion. Polling district WC4 will continue to use Ealing Road Library.
• Wembley Hill Ward: The current polling locations will remain the same, although efforts will continue to identify a suitable location in the northwest of the ward.
• Willesden Green Ward: Minor amendments will be made to the polling district boundary for WN2 and WN3. The potential use of the new Brent Indian Community Centre as a polling station will be reviewed once building works are completed in March 2024.

The committee also resolved to delegate the designation of alternative polling places to the Chief Executive in unforeseen circumstances, following consultation with Party Whips and ward councillors. The changes are to be effective from 1 February 2024.

The committee extended thanks to Amira Nassr, Head of the Chief Executive and Member Services, and the Elections Team for their work on the review, and to all stakeholders who participated in the consultation process.

The meeting was chaired by Councillor Muhammed Butt. Apologies were received from Councillor Shama Tatler (Vice-Chair) and Councillor Promise Knight, with Councillor Neil Nerva attending as a substitute for Councillor Knight. There were no declarations of interest or deputations. The minutes of the previous meeting held on 11 December 2023 were approved.