Medway Council splits Watling polling district ahead of 2027 elections

Medway’s councillors have shaken up the borough’s polling arrangements. Thursday night’s vote splits one district and moves two others — all because voters couldn’t face the trek to cast their ballots.

The changes come ahead of May 2027’s elections. Chief Executive Richard Hicks brought the report to Full Council as Item 12 on the 23 April 2026 agenda.

Watling Ward’s polling district GW1 gets the biggest overhaul. Residents in the north-western chunk weren’t turning up to vote — the walk to Woodlands Academy was just too far. Many told their councillors they’d prefer Priestfields Stadium, where they used to vote. Council officers couldn’t find anything else suitable in the middle of the district.

Who the changes affect

GW1 now splits in two. Eastern half keeps Woodlands Academy. Western half shifts back to Priestfields Stadium.

Rochester West & Borstal and Fort Pitt wards each get a polling-place move within their existing districts.

The council was keen to stress the legal distinctions — polling districts are the geographic areas, polling places are the buildings councils designate, polling stations are the specific rooms chosen by the Returning Officer for each election. Thursday’s changes were to districts and places, which under the Representation of the People Act 1983 must go to Full Council. Not Cabinet.

Why this was brought now

Medway’s last full review was in 2023, feeding into new ward arrangements from May 2024. The Electoral Administration Act 2006 requires councils to review polling districts every four years minimum. And the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 sets a mandatory cycle tied to 1 October every fifth year from 2013.

Between those formal reviews, Medway runs informal ones after each election. This latest round followed feedback from councillors, polling-station staff and voters after the most recent UK Parliamentary General Election.

Only two districts needed new polling places. Deliberately narrow scope.

Who signed it off

The informal Working Group on Polling Districts and Polling Places shaped the recommendations — councillors Cook, Field, Gilbourne, Mahil, Maple, Perfect and Sands. Full Council approved the scheme, noted the Returning Officer’s designated polling stations, and gave the Chief Executive power to designate alternative polling places if listed stations become unavailable before May 2027’s elections. But only after consulting the working group.

Portfolio Holder is Councillor Vince Maple, Leader of the Council. Lauren Jeffery, Acting Electoral Services Manager, authored the report.

What happens next

Changes take effect immediately for election planning. Voters in affected districts will learn about their new polling place through the usual pre-election poll cards.

The Returning Officer can still relocate individual polling stations at short notice if venues become unavailable.

Source post on X — @medway_council, Full Council Item 12