Agenda and minutes

To approve as a correct record the minutes of the Committee held on 14 October 2014 and to authorise the Chairman to sign them.

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 October 2014 were agreed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

The Committee was reminded that under the Electoral Administration Act 2006 the Council had to undertake a polling district and polling place review by the Acting Returning Officer in 2007 and every fourth year thereafter.  The previous review had been carried out in 2011 and the 2014 review was currently being undertaken.  Members were reminded that the aims of the review were to:

Ensure that:-

(a)          as far as possible polling places are accessible to all.

(b)          polling places fall within the polling district wherever possible.

(c)          account be taken of justifiable complaints by electors, and any responses received from this consultation.

Members’ attention was drawn to the list of those consulted, and a summary of responses as a result of the review.  A Member raised concerns about one of the Polling Stations.  Specifically, the use of the Methodist Church Hall situated in Hall Lane in the Cranham 5 Polling District.  The Committee was provided with comparative “turn-out” figures for polling stations in the area which showed that the local turn-out at this Polling Station was significantly lower than those around it.

Members considered that there might be more appropriate alternatives and asked for that to be explored and this Polling District to be re-reviewed.  The Committee was mindful that a provisional recommendation to Council had already been published and directed that the recommendation be amended.

The Committee RESOLVEDto amend the recommendation to Council that:

The changes to the Polling Districts reviewed should be incorporated into the register published on 1 December 2014, and the alternative polling stations used at the Parliamentary elections in May 2015 in accordance with the Electoral Administration Act 2006 with the exception of CM5 Upminster Methodist Church Hall, Hall Lane for which a further review is to be undertaken and a recommendation brought back to a future meeting of the Council.

The Committee was reminded about the responsibility it had to approve the nomination of candidates to the Romford Combined Charity.  Two former councillors’ terms of office expired on 3 November and as they did not wish to be re-nominated, new nominees were sought and Councillors Wendy Brice-Thompson and Dilip Patel had been nominated to replace them.

A third trustee – former councillor Wilf Mills had resigned and his term continued until 3 November 2016.  Councillor Joshua Chapman had been nominated to fill this vacancy.

The Committee was invited to either accept and endorse the three nominees or propose alternative nominees.

The Committee confirmed the nomination of Councillors Wendy Brice-Thompson, Dilip Patel and Joshua Chapman to be trustees of the Romford Combined Charity.  Councillor Chapman until 3 November 2016 and Councillors Brice-Thompson and Patel for a full five year term until 3 November 2019:

Members considered a report of the Monitoring Officer containing various changes to the Constitution.

The Committee noted the changes within the appendices to the report.