The General Purposes Committee of Westminster Council met on Tuesday 25 November 2014 to discuss a review of polling districts and polling places. The meeting also considered proposed changes to the council's constitution and its programme of meetings for the following year.

Polling District and Polling Place Review

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a review of polling districts and polling places across Westminster. This review was prompted by the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, which mandates such reviews to be completed by 31 January 2015. The report pack indicated that the committee was to consider outstanding issues from a previous meeting on 5 November 2014, specifically concerning the CHA (Churchill) polling place and proposed changes to polling district boundaries in the Hyde Park, Maida Vale, and Knightsbridge and Belgravia wards.

For the CHA polling place, a recommendation was made to move it from the Churchill Gardens Youth Club to the Churchill Gardens Residents Hall. The report pack noted that the Residents Hall was considered more accessible, being closer to main roads and bus stops, which would benefit elderly and disabled voters. However, local ward councillors had expressed a preference for the Youth Club, citing resident familiarity and perceived better disabled access. The report pack also detailed concerns about the Youth Club's accessibility, including issues with signage and the number of voters in wheelchairs who had used the facility.

The review also examined potential changes to polling district boundaries in Hyde Park, Maida Vale, and Knightsbridge and Belgravia wards. The aim was to achieve a more even distribution of voters across polling districts and to improve provision for voters. The report pack presented various options for these boundary changes, accompanied by maps and details of affected streets and electorates. For Hyde Park ward, a new polling district (HPC) was being considered, with officers investigating potential locations such as the International Community School, Micky Star Community Nursery, Brunei Hall, and Norfolk Plaza Hotel. In Knightsbridge and Belgravia, a proposed change would move streets from polling district KBB to KBA. For Maida Vale, proposals included the creation of a new polling district (MVC) which could be served by either the Paddington Sports Club or the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.

The report pack also highlighted challenges in identifying suitable polling places, particularly in areas with new developments or where existing venues had accessibility issues. For instance, in Hyde Park, a new polling place was yet to be identified for the HPC polling district, with several potential locations being assessed for their suitability and accessibility. Similarly, in Maida Vale, the Paddington Sports Club was noted to have disadvantages, and discussions were ongoing with the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue regarding its potential use.

The report pack also addressed specific polling districts across various wards, detailing proposed changes or reasons for retaining existing arrangements. This included:

• Westbourne Ward: A small change to the polling district boundary between WBA and WBC was proposed to ensure a more even distribution of electors and to have voters from the Warwick and Brindley Estates vote at the same polling place.
• Maida Vale Ward: A change was recommended for the MVA polling place from the Maida Centre to St George's School, as the Maida Centre was undergoing redevelopment.
• Westbourne Ward: Changes were proposed for WBA and WBC polling places, moving from Warwick Community Centre and Stowe Centre respectively to Our Lady of Lourdes & St Vincent de Paul Church Hall and Warwick Community Centre.
• Churchill Ward: A recommendation was made to move the CHA polling place from Churchill Gardens Youth Club to Churchill Gardens Residents Hall.

The report pack also included detailed analyses of polling place provision across all Westminster wards, identifying polling places with inadequate disability access and exploring potential alternatives. This included discussions on the suitability of various community halls, schools, churches, and other public buildings. The report pack also referenced a broader analysis of walking times for voters over 65 to their polling places, aiming to inform future reviews and identify areas where improved provision might be needed.

Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014

The committee was scheduled to consider recommendations regarding the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014. The report pack indicated that the committee would be asked to recommend the adoption of revised Standing Order 18 (Disorder) to the full Council. Additionally, a threshold of £500,000 for officers to give notice of contract awards or expenditure was to be considered for agreement. The committee was also to note the actions taken by officers to ensure compliance with the 2014 Regulations.

Scheme of Delegations

The committee was to review a revised Scheme of Delegations, which reflected a reorganisation agreed by the Cabinet on 21 July 2014. The report pack stated that no new obligations had been included in the revised scheme. It was also noted that a detailed review of delegations and related documents had not taken place for some time, and it was proposed that this should be undertaken and reported back to the next meeting. The committee was to recommend the Scheme of Delegations for non-executive functions to the Council for approval and note that the Leader of the Council would be asked to approve the Scheme of Delegations for executive functions.

Constitutional Changes: Superannuation Committee Terms of Reference

The committee was scheduled to consider a report from the City Treasurer regarding constitutional changes. Specifically, it was to recommend to the Council that revised Terms of Reference for the Superannuation Committee be agreed, and that the committee be renamed the Pension Fund Committee.

Programme of Meetings 2015-16

Finally, the committee was to consider the proposed Programme of Meetings for 2015-16. The report pack indicated that the committee would be asked to recommend the approval of dates for full Council meetings and to approve the programme of other formal meetings.