1.         That the statutory notice for the Parliamentary Polling District Review (appended to this Record of Decision at Appendix 2) be displayed at Torquay Town Hall and libraries within Torbay and published on the Council’s website; and

2.         That the Torbay Parliamentary Polling District Review consultation document (appended to this Record of Decision at Appendix 1), be launched for consultation on 19 August 2024 and the consultation period to run until 25 September 2024.

To ensure the Council is meeting its statutory requirements to undertake a Parliamentary Polling District Review within the compulsory timescales.

None.

This decision will be implemented immediately.

Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Council has a duty to divide its area into polling districts and to designate a polling place for each district.

·         “Polling districts” are geographical electoral areas into which wards and constituencies may be sub-divided.

·         “Polling places” are the buildings or areas designated by the council where electors in a polling district go to vote in person.  In Torbay and South Devon constituencies the polling places are the same areas as the polling districts.

·         “Polling stations” are the number of issuing desks in the building or area that is the designated polling place.

The Electoral Administration Act 2006, as amended, introduced a duty on all local authorities in Great Britain to review their polling districts and polling places at least once every five years.  The next compulsory review is now due and must be completed by 31 January 2025.

As part of the review, the Council is required to publish a notice of the holding of a review.  Part of the consultation shall include consulting the (Acting) Returning Officer ((A)RO) for every parliamentary constituency which is wholly or partly in its area – for Torbay Council this includes the South Devon Constituency which is covered by the South Hams District Council (A)RO.  The consultation is also required to seek representations from such persons as it thinks have particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability.

The Council meeting on 5 December 2024 will consider the outcome of the consultation and recommendations on the proposed schedule of polling stations.

None.