Agenda item

A report of the Returning Officer was presented to update Members on recent government guidance and delivery plans for 6 May 2021 Elections and to advise of possible changes to the location of a number of polling stations as listed at Paragraph 4.6 of the submitted report, in response to further guidance that was recently issued to schools in respect of use of a school as a polling station.

 

The vast majority of electoral rules and procedures would remain as they were at the previous local, mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, and other local elections and referendums, which took place between 2016 and March 2020.  The UK Government did not support all-postal voting and it did not propose to introduce early voting or change the hours of polling.  However, running elections during a pandemic posed a number procedural and operational issues for a Returning Officer and the Elections team.

 

The Government policy paper on the May 2021 polls delivery plan stated that given the importance of avoiding any further disruption to education, schools should not be used as polling stations, where alternative venues were available. The UK Government particularly discouraged the use of schools where this would result in closure and would provide support to Returning Officers to explore the use of other community or commercial facilities, to minimise disruption to schools. 

 

Middlesbrough had 28 schools currently used as polling stations.  In preparation for the elections due to take place on 6 May 2021, the premises previously agreed by Committee as polling stations were contacted.  At present a number of schools had indicated that if their premises were to be used as a polling station, the school would need to be closed.  In addition, some of the community venues that were used as polling stations had vulnerable people accessing the premises and had also expressed reticence/refusal for use.

 

As a consequence of the pandemic and the above guidance the Returning Officer, used emergency delegated powers and requested the Elections Team find temporary alternative venues to be used for this election only.  This included use of community or private venues and/or mobile stations.  The availability of mobile stations to hire would also be a concern, since all other local authorities would be undertaking similar reviews.

 

A list of premises that the Council were unable to use for these elections, and the proposed alternative venue for each polling station was included at paragraph 4.6 of the submitted report.  However, current and alternative polling station venues might still be subject to change.

 

The following update was provided at the meeting:

 

·        St Edwards RC Primary School – new polling station confirmed: Aapna House (old Library site).

·        Waiting Room, Berwick Hills Primary School – proposed new polling station: the Neptune Centre, to be confirmed following site visit.

·         Pallister Park Primary School - new polling station confirmed: Old Middlebeck Social Club,   Homerton Road.

·        Kader Academy – new polling station confirmed: Kader Academy Nursery.

·        Newham Bridge Primary School - replaced with Mobile Station.

·        Captain Cook Primary School – proposed new polling station: Marton Library, to be confirmed following site visit.

·        Hemlington Hall Academy - replaced with Mobile Station in car park.

·        Otterhill Court Community Centre - replace with Mobile Station in the Phoenix car park at the rear of number 31, to be confirmed following site visit.

·        Viewley Hill Academy – new polling station confirmed: Hemlington Children’s Centre.

·        Lingfield Primary School - Replaced with Mobile Station in car park.

·        Glastonbury House - Replaced with Mobile Station in car park. 

·        Lingfield Ash Meeting Hall - Replaced with Mobile Station in car park.

·        Bellamy Courts Residents’ Lounge - replace with Mobile Station in car park, to be confirmed following site visit.

·        The Avenue Primary School – new polling station: St Bernadette’s Primary School: Mobile Station in car park, to be confirmed.

·        The Brunton Suite – new polling station: land opposite the Avenue shops or Brunton Arms car park: Mobile Station, to be confirmed following a site visit.

·        Macmillan College: Replaced with Mobile Station in car park.

 

The number of Mobile Stations being used had increased to 15 and potentially up to 17 from 7 at previous elections.  All polling station venues had to be confirmed by 10 March 2021, when the data would be sent to printers to produce the poll cards.

 

In accordance with Government guidance it was confirmed that no Middlesbrough schools would be forced to close for the Combined Elections on 6 May 2021.

 

Details of arrangements for nominations, campaigning, and alterations to proxy arrangements were also included in the submitted report.  Stockton Council were the lead authority for the direction and co-ordination of these regional elections and the compilation of the regional results. Due to social distancing requirements each authority would be conducting the verification and the Count for both elections in their own venues and submitting results electronically to Stockton who would announce the results.

 

The Council was conducting a social media campaign to try and encourage more electors to register for a postal vote. A leaflet advising on how to register for a postal vote would be delivered to every household at the same time as the poll cards.

 

Verification for both elections would take place after the close of Poll on Thursday 6 May and the Count for both elections would take place on Friday 7 May at Middlesbrough Sports Village. As the primary election, the Police and Crime Commissioner Count would take place first starting at 10.00 am, followed by the Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayoral election at approximately 2:00 pm.

 

Social distancing and other safety measures, such as marshalls, hand sanitiser, screens and distance markings would be in place at the Count venue and in polling stations.

 

An estimated £92 million of government grant funding would be provided to local authorities for the elections.  £31 million of this funding was an uplift to directly address

costs associated with making the elections COVID-19 secure.  Increased costs of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections would be met by the UK Government.  Additional costs in relation to the Tees Valley Combined Authority Mayoral election would be recharged to the TVCA.

 

Risk assessments had been developed for each aspect of the election and project

teams were reviewing and amending procedures to ensure appropriate measures were in place and ensure the plans remain flexible to ensure delivery of a safe election.

A request was made for all Councillors to receive an updated list of polling stations.  It was highlighted that there was a postcode checker on the Council website to help people identify their polling station and the details would also be printed on poll cards.

 

It was confirmed that the old Middlebeck Social Club was no longer a licensed premises and was now a community venue.

 

Whilst electors were asked to wear face coverings, if they arrived to cast their vote without a face covering, and were able to wear one, a face covering would be provided by polling station staff.

 

A query was raised in relation to leafletting and whether parish councils and community councils were allowed to distribute leaflets under current Covid-19 restrictions.  It was confirmed that the relaxation in restrictions on leafletting only applied when an election was taking place. 

 

It was also confirmed that all the new polling stations had been visited and assessed against a checklist to ensure accessibility for all.    Where possible, the use of Mobile Stations was avoided, but for the forthcoming elections they would need to be used where schools or alternative venues were not available.    Staff were trained to take the ballot paper and box to any elector who was unable to access the polling station.

 

In terms of encouraging more people to vote in Middlesbrough, it was highlighted that promoting democracy was considered all year round. In the past events had taken place at the University and Middlesbrough College, school pupils had visited the Town Hall and taken place in Democracy Counts events and articles had been published in the Middlesbrough Football Club and LoveMiddlesbrough magazines. 

 

AGREED as follows:

1.      The Government’s May 2021 Elections Delivery Plan, including guidance on proxy voting, campaigning, door knocking and leafleting during the current lockdown was received and noted.

2.     Members’ noted potential changes to polling stations in Middlesbrough as listed at paragraph 4.6 of the submitted report and updated at the meeting.

3.     Once confirmed, a list of polling stations for the Combined Elections on 6 May 2021 would be circulated to all Councillors.