Redbridge Council is considering a proposal to move the polling place for Barkingside Ward BA2 from St Augustine's Catholic Primary School to Gants Hill Library for the 2026 local elections.

The proposed change is part of a wider review of polling places across the borough, detailed in the Polling Place Review Report - 2025. The review aims to improve accessibility and voter convenience, and to move away from using schools as polling places where possible. The Public Reports Pack states that Gants Hill Library is recommended as a polling place because it is well known and easily accessible to local electors, offering a suitable alternative to the use of a primary school.

The General Purposes Committee reviewed the changes at a meeting on Wednesday 23 July 2025. The review, conducted in accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983 and the Electoral Administration Act 2006, sought to ensure that all polling places and stations in Redbridge are accessible, suitable, and fit for purpose ahead of the 2026 local elections.

A public consultation was conducted from 29 July 2024 to 23 September 2024, communicating directly with existing polling places, councillors, MPs, and community groups, receiving a total of eighteen responses. Feedback was also gathered from presiding officers and polling station inspectors from the 2024 Greater London Authority Elections, the UK Parliamentary General Election, and three by-elections held in 2024 and 2025. Concerns were raised regarding the use of schools as polling places, with feedback indicating a desire to move away from their use where possible. In Churchfields Ward, Woodbridge High School was considered very disruptive for secondary school students, and Churchfields Junior School requested that they should no longer be used due to the severe disruption that closure of the school causes both the children and parents. In Newbury Ward, consultation feedback was received from the executive headteacher at Seven Kings High School stating that the use of the school is a safeguarding issue and causes severe disruption as they cannot close the site to students.

The aims of the review were to ensure that:

  • Polling places are accessible to all electors, including those with disabilities.
  • Polling places fall within the polling district, wherever possible.
  • Premises are suitable, considering size and facilities.
  • Feedback from electors and polling staff is addressed.

Map of Barkingside polling districts showing changes to polling places.
Map of Seven Kings polling districts, showing new and existing polling places.

The criteria used to determine 'suitability' of premises includes consideration of the size and facilities they offer.

As part of the wider review, several other polling place changes are being considered across 16 wards:

  • Bridge Ward: St Pauls Church Hall and St Barnabas Church, Snakes Lane East are recommended as alternatives to Roding Primary School and Ray Lodge Primary School respectively. Virgin Active Gym within the Repton Park community is recommended to replace the minibus currently used.
  • Churchfields Ward: Bridge Church, Latchett Road and Redbridge Drama Centre, Churchfields are recommended as alternatives to Woodbridge High School and Churchfields Junior School respectively. Salway Church, Forest Approach is recommended as a polling place because Sir James Hawkey Hall in Broomhill Road is outside of the ward.
  • Clayhall Ward: Roding Lane Free Church, Roding Lane South, is recommended as an alternative polling place to Redbridge Primary School.
  • Cranbrook Ward: Cranbrook Castle Lawn Tennis and Social Club, Pavilion Road is recommended as a Polling Place for the newly created Polling District of CR4.
  • Clementswood Ward: Continued use of St Albans Church Hall, Albert Road and Cleveland Road Primary School, Dudley Road is recommended due to the merging of previous Polling Districts.
  • Fullwell Ward: St Cedds C of E Church, Marston Road and Holy Trinity Barkingside C of E Church, Mossford Green are recommended to replace Glade Primary School and Mossford Green Primary School respectively.
  • Goodmayes Ward: Goodmayes Baptist Church, Goodmayes Road is recommended as a Polling Place to replace the need for the Portakabin in Seven Kings Car Park.
  • Hainault Ward: St Paul's Church, Arrowsmith Road and Hainault Library, Manford Way are recommended instead of Coppice Primary School, Burrow Road and John Bramston Primary School, Newcastle Avenue respectively.
  • Ilford Town Ward: Redbridge Central Library, Clements Road is recommended due to Ilford Town Polling Districts being reduced from five down to three.
  • Mayfield Ward: Goodmayes Library, Goodmayes Lane and South Park Chapel, Ripley Road are recommended as alternatives to Mayespark Primary School, Goodmayes Lane and South Park Primary School respectively.
  • Monkhams Ward: St Thomas of Canterbury Church, High Road, Woodford Green and Woodford Bowling Club, Kings Avenue are recommended as suitable alternative Polling Places to St Anthony's RC Primary School, Mornington Road and Elderberries Day Centre, Broadmead Road respectively.
  • Newbury Ward: St Margaret's Church Hall, Balfour Road, St Aidan's Catholic Primary Academy, Bradford Road and Aldborough Primary School, Aldborough Road South are recommended for the differently divided Polling Districts.
  • Seven Kings Ward: Seven Kings United Free Church, Meads Lane is recommended as a suitable alternative to Downshall Primary School, Meads Lane.
  • Valentines Ward: Ilford Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Coventry Road, Jubilee Church Ilford, Granville Road and The Morning Room, Valentines Mansion, Emerson Road are recommended as alternatives to Christchurch Primary School, Children's Centre, Melbourne Road, The Ursuline Academy, Cranbrook Road and Christchurch Children's Centre, Melbourne Road respectively.
  • Wanstead Park Ward: Aldersbrook Bowls Club, Aldersbrook Road is recommended as an alternative to Aldersbrook Primary School, Harpenden Road.

The rationale behind these changes includes improving accessibility, voter convenience, addressing feedback from electors and polling staff, and avoiding the use of schools where possible.

The committee agreed to delegate to the Chief Executive the designation of alternative polling places if any polling place is unavailable or a more suitable provision is identified, following consultation with the Group Chief Whips and respective ward councillors. This ensures contingency plans are in place should Gants Hill Library become unavailable at the last minute.

The report also addressed fairness implications, including equality and diversity, in line with the Equalities Act 2010, ensuring that the proposed polling places have been carefully assessed for accessibility requirements as set out in the Elections Act 2022.