Hillingdon Council is set to reduce the number of school polling stations for the 2026 elections, following a review aimed at improving accessibility and convenience for voters. The decision was made during a Council meeting on Thursday 27 November 2025, where members considered the latest update on the Polling District and Polling Places Review.
Prior to the decision, the council conducted an impact assessment, as required by the Equality Act 2010, to evaluate the potential effect of these changes on voter turnout, particularly among groups with protected characteristics. The assessment concluded that the recommendations from the review are not considered to have any significant adverse effect on these groups.
The Polling Places report noted that the number of schools used as polling stations will decrease from 11 to 4 in 2026. This change comes after the council instructed the Returning Officer to seek alternative venues to school buildings where possible, balancing the need for accessible polling places with the desire to minimise disruption to education.
The council aims to ensure that all electors in the borough have reasonable facilities for voting and that polling places are accessible to all electors, including those with disabilities. The Polling Places report informs Council of the subsequent changes in polling places following that further exercise.
The following changes to polling places were approved:
- Belmore: Retain Grange Park Infant School, Lansbury Drive, Hayes.
- Charville: Hayes End Scout Hut, Len Taylor Close, Hayes.
- Hayes End: Botwell Parish Social Centre, Botwell Lane, Hayes.
- West Drayton: Yiewsley & West Drayton Community Centre, Harmondsworth Road, West Drayton.
- Wood End: Hayes End Community Centre, 70a Kingsway, Botwell and Minet Junior School, Avondale Drive, Hayes.
- Yeading: Brookside School, Perth Avenue, Hayes.
- Eastcote: The Tudor Club, 461 Field End Road, Ruislip.
- Northwood Hills: The Central Middlesex Skills Centre, Wiltshire Lane, Northwood.
- Colham & Cowley: Sir Alec Rose Hall, Moorfield Road, Cowley.
- Hillingdon East: Oak Farm Library, Sutton Court Road Hillingdon.
- Ruislip Manor: Ruislip Rugby Club, West End Road, Ruislip.
- Yiewsley: Yiewsley Scout Group, High Street, Yiewsley.
The council has 59 polling districts, and the aim of the review was to make voting convenient to electors, providing places that are well located within communities, avoiding road safety hazards and using any existing boundaries.