Polling Districts and Polling Places Review

In accordance with the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006, Carmarthenshire County Council will conduct a review of all polling districts and polling places in the county’s parliamentary constituencies commencing in October 2023.

Local authorities are required to carry out a review of Polling Districts and Polling Places every five years. The review seeks to ensure that all electors have reasonable facilities for voting in elections which are practicable in the circumstances and so far, as it is reasonable and practical seeks to ensure that every polling place is accessible to electors who are disabled.

The review is an opportunity for electors, community groups and any interested persons within Carmarthenshire to express their opinions on the existing polling places, districts and stations, and to suggest alternative options for consideration.

Definitions

A polling place is the area in which the Returning Officer will allocate a polling station. The polling place should be designated so that the polling station is within easy reach of all electors from across the polling district.

A polling district is a geographical area created by the sub-division of a parliamentary constituency for the purposes of a UK Parliamentary election. A polling station is the room or area within the polling place where voting takes place.

A Polling station is the physical place in which polling takes place.  The (Acting) Returning Officer decides on the location of the polling stations. 

As part of the review process, we are required to:

• Seek to ensure that all electors in the constituency have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.
• Seek to ensure that so far as is reasonable and practicable the polling places and stations are accessible to people with disabilities.
• When considering or reviewing the designation of a polling place .and station, have regard to the accessibility needs of disabled persons.

Steps for this review

• We will give notice of the formal commencement of the review. 
• We will publish the comments from the (Acting) Returning Officer for each constituency within Carmarthenshire.
• There will be a public consultation period commencing on the 12 October 2023 which will end on the 9 November 2023.
• We will consider the representations received when we make the draft recommendations.  
• The final recommendations will be considered by full council in the meeting on the 24 January 2024.
• There will be a public consultation period on the draft recommendations commencing on the 25 January 2024 which will end on the 7 March 2024.
• We will consider the representations received when we make the final recommendations.

Timeline for the review

• 12 October - Formal notice of the review 
• 12 October - Publish (Acting) Returning Officer’s comments 
• 12 October - Commencement of public consultation period 
• 9 November - End of public consultation period 
• 27 November - Draft proposals considered by Pre-Cabinet 
• 24 January-Draft proposals considered by Full Council
• 25 January-Commencement of public consultation period
• 7 March-End of public consultation period
• 11 September - Final proposals considered by Full Council

Existing Arrangements/Acting Returning Officer’s comments

Acting Returning Officer's Comments

A(RO) Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Response

Commenting on the review

If you are satisfied with the current arrangements, please let us know. 

If you are not satisfied, we would welcome your comments and would be particularly interested to know if there are more suitable premises that we could use. 

We are particularly interested to know if there are any specific issues in relation to access to our polling stations. 

You are invited to complete the following questionnaire.

OR you can email your written response to: CAelectoralServices@carmarthenshire.gov.uk until 7 March 2024.

Alternatively, you can post any comments to: Electoral Services, Block 4, Park Myrddin, Richmond Terrace, Carmarthen, SA31 1HQ.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Carmarthenshire County Council has concluded its review into our polling districts and polling places for the new ward arrangements.

The new ward arrangements were finalised following a review of Carmarthenshire ward arrangements Full details of Carmarthenshire’s new ward arrangements can be found above.

The consultation period for the review of polling districts and polling places for the new ward arrangements took place between 12 October 2023 to 22 February 2024.

 At a meeting of Full Council held on the 11 September 2024, the Council resolved to approve the new polling districts and polling places.

The new polling districts and polling place designations have been published by the (Acting) Returning Officer, the details of which can be viewed above or by visiting the offices of Electoral Services at Block 4, Parc Myrddin, Richmond Terrace, Carmarthen, SA31 1HQ between 9am and 5pm on any working day.

Following the conclusion of this review, certain persons have a right to appeal by making representations to the Electoral Commission. The Commission will only consider representations where this review has failed to meet the reasonable requirements of the electors in the county or take sufficient account of the accessibility for disabled persons of a polling station within a designated polling place. Any representations must be made in writing either by post, e-mail, or fax to: Legal Counsel, The Electoral Commission, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y. Or telephone 02072710500

Email: appeals@electoralcommission.org.uk.

18 September 2024                               Amanda Edwards, Electoral Services Manager

Printed and Published by Electoral Services, Carmarthenshire County Council, Block 4, Parc Myrddin, Richmond Terrace, Carmarthen, SA31 1HQ.

List of Polling Stations in use