Returning Officer's recommendations to the review

The council is conducting an interim review of its polling districts and polling places. This follows an electoral review of Surrey County Council by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

From May 2025, the County Council electoral divisions in Guildford will be:

• Ash
• Guildford East
• Guildford North
• Guildford South East
• Guildford South West
• Guildford West
• Horsleys
• Shalford
• Shere
• Worplesdon

The review process

The purpose of the review is to consider polling arrangements in the above divisions and to recommended changes to existing arrangements if they are needed. The timetable is set out below:

Commenting on the polling arrangements

The council welcomes your thoughts on the polling arrangements in your area. As Returning Officer I comment on the current arrangements, and this may assist you in completing your response.

You can respond to the consultation:

• via our online form (opens new window)
• by email to pdpreview@guildford.gov.uk
• by post to Electoral Services, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford GU2 4BB

Please ensure your comments are received by Friday 10 January 2025.

Scope of the review

Polling districts and polling places are determined by the local authority (GBC).

Polling districts

Polling districts are geographical areas created by sub-dividing the electoral area into smaller parts for voting. They are given a reference (e.g. T5) and a name (e.g. Shere). As polling districts are usually based on the parish in which they are situated, the name is often linked to the parish name. Where a parish is divided into wards (e.g. Shere South East), the name will be linked to the ward name.

Polling places

Each polling district must be allocated a polling place which is a building or area in which the polling stations will be situated. The polling place must be located within the polling district unless there are special circumstances make it desirable to designate an area wholly or partly outside the district (e.g. if no accessible polling place can be identified within the district). Due to the rural nature of the borough and the number of polling districts, it is often difficult to identify suitable premises within each polling district. Where no suitable venue can be identified, a temporary building or a venue within another polling district may be used.

Some premises may be suitable as a polling place, but the managers of the venue do not wish for it to be used. The (A)RO is not entitled to mandate the use of buildings except for local authority buildings e.g. local authority schools. 

The buildings listed as existing and recommended polling places are fit for purpose, accessible to electors and accessible for electors with disabilities.

Polling stations

A polling station is the room or area within the polling place at which ballot papers are issued and voting takes place. Unlike polling districts and polling places which are determined by the Local Authority (GBC), polling stations are selected by the relevant Returning Officer for the election. The number of polling stations at each polling place will be determined by the Returning Officer in advance of any election and will vary according to the size of the eligible in-person electorate and the likely turnout.

This review is regarding the polling districts and polling places used at local government elections. However, these polling districts will also be used at parliamentary elections. Therefore, polling district boundaries cannot cross existing boundaries.

Principles the council has adopted when allocating polling districts and places

When responding, please bear in mind the following principles which we aim to follow when allocating polling districts and polling places. We aim to:

1. Assign a polling place to each polling district and elector
2. So far as it is reasonable and practicable, ensure every polling station is accessible to electors with disabilities
3. Ensure polling stations facilitate the safe and efficient delivery of local and parliamentary elections
4. Ensure the majority of polling stations have no more than 2,250 polling station electors assigned to them
5. Where possible, avoid the use of schools and temporary buildings which will only be considered if there are no other options
6. Implement the LGBCE division changes
7. Ensure a wide audience is consulted throughout the review.

Returning Officer Comments 

A new venue is being investigated for AV1. Otherwise, the current locations are suitable and within the polling districts. These arrangements are working well.

I therefore recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places except perhaps for AV1.

Returning Officer Comments 

A new venue is being investigated for M1.

As can be seen on the map, polling district M3 is accessible to the polling place which is situated just beyond the polling district line in M3A.

The current locations are suitable and otherwise within the polling districts. These arrangements are working well.

I therefore recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places except perhaps for M1.

Returning Officer Comments 

Officers are working to resolve an accessibility issue at BS1 and are examining parking provision at SN2.

The current locations however, are suitable and within the polling districts. These arrangements are working well.

I therefore recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

Officers are visiting to confirm feasibility relating to voter numbers at SK2 / SK2A. Owing to new divisional boundaries a small southern part of the current SK1 must be placed in SK2A, whilst a small northern part of SK2A must be placed in SK1. This is because polling district lines cannot cross electoral boundaries.

The current locations are otherwise suitable and within the polling districts. These arrangements are working well.

Save for the changes that we must make to polling districts, I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

Officers are visiting to confirm feasibility relating to voter numbers at SK1.

Owing to new divisional boundaries a small southern part of the current SK1 must be placed in SK2A, whilst a small northern part of SK2A must be placed in SK1. This is because PD lines cannot cross electoral boundaries. Otherwise, the current locations are suitable and within the polling districts. These arrangements are working well.

Save for the changes that we must make to polling districts, I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

Owing to new divisional boundaries a small polling district, O2A, is in the Guildford West division, unlike other Onslow polling districts. Officers will examine the feasibility of O2A residents voting at Kate Granger building as this is administratively more appropriate, so long as these residents do not have to take a long route that passes the existing polling place. The SS1 and SS1A polling districts must be merged into a single SS1 polling district, and the registers sub-divided equally at the same polling place.

An undeveloped northern part of WO1 that has no electors now crosses the new County boundary and must be placed instead in WO2.

Save for the changes that we must make to SS1, WO1 polling districts and consideration of O2A, I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

The current locations are suitable and except for SL3 are within the polling districts. The arrangements are working well.

I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

The current locations are suitable and except for SH2 are within the polling districts. The arrangements are working well.

I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

The current locations are suitable and are within the polling districts, except for T1 which is very nearby. The arrangements are working well.

I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling places.

Returning Officer Comments 

Officers are visiting a recent addition to our polling scheme at P5.

The current locations however, are suitable and are within the polling districts. The arrangements are working well.

I recommend that there are no changes to the established polling districts or polling places.