The Governance Committee met to discuss proposed changes to polling places for the May 2026 elections and to consider delegating authority to the Returning Officer for future urgent temporary amendments. The committee recommended that the Council approve these changes, including a temporary move for a polling district in Sydenham, and agreed to a review of polling districts in that area after the elections.

Changes to Polling Places for May 2026 Elections

The committee considered temporary changes to polling places in three wards: Hither Green, Bellingham, and Sydenham. These changes are necessary due to the unavailability or unsuitability of the current designated venues.

In Hither Green ward, the polling place at St Christopher the Fellowship Church is no longer suitable as it is on the market for sale. The proposed alternative is the Brownhill Road Baptist Church, which has been assessed as suitable and meets accessibility standards.

For Bellingham ward, the Dumps Adventure Playground, the current polling place for district EBE2, will be unavailable for the May 2026 elections due to redevelopment works. While the playground is expected to be available for future polls, temporary alternatives were considered. The committee noted that St Augustine's Primary School has been identified as the most suitable option and is available on the election date.

In Sydenham ward, the polling place for district WSY3, St Philip the Apostle Church, has been identified as unsuitable for residents of the Hillcrest Estate due to distance and poor public transport links. Councillor Chris Best raised significant concerns about this change, highlighting that the proposed move to St Bartholomew's Church would be a considerable distance for some residents. Councillor Best argued for a more localised solution, suggesting that the Grove Centre could retain some polling districts to avoid confusion and inconvenience for voters. Officers explained that a full polling district review would be a substantial undertaking with the tight election timescales, and recommended proceeding with the proposed change to St Bartholomew's Church for the May elections, with a commitment to a review of the Sydenham polling districts after the elections. The committee ultimately agreed to recommend the change to St Bartholomew's Church, with an additional recommendation for a polling district review in Sydenham to be undertaken as soon as practicable after the May elections.

Delegation of Authority to Returning Officer

The committee also considered a recommendation to delegate authority to the Returning Officer to make urgent temporary amendments to polling places if unforeseen issues arise and there is insufficient time to convene a formal committee or council meeting. This is to ensure that statutory duties can be met in the lead-up to elections. The committee recommended that the Council approve this delegation.

The meeting also included the confirmation of the minutes from the previous meeting on 10 December 2025 and a declaration of interests, where no members declared any interests relevant to the agenda items.