Constituency Review 2023

Boston Castle ward is currently within the Rotherham Parliamentary constituency, and this will remain the case when the new Parliamentary constituency boundaries come into force.

Current arrangements

There is potential for the following housing developments:

• BCA: Approx 125 properties with an estimated polling station electorate of 97
• BCD: Approx 15 properties with an estimate polling station electorate of 14
• BCE: Approx 112 properties with an estimate polling station electorate of 149
• BCG: Approx 31 properties with an estimate polling station electorate of 41
• BCH: Approx 158 properties with an estimate polling station electorate of 188
• BCI: Approx 224 properties with an estimate polling station electorate of 176

(Acting) Returning Officer’s comments and proposals

1. The polling place for BCA, Myplace Rotherham, is no longer available and for elections in 2022, the polling place was temporarily moved to the Unity Centre. The Unity Centre, whilst is outside of the ward in Rotherham East , it is only a short distance from Myplace Rotherham.  There were no issue or concerns raised with the use of the Unity Centre, therefore the (Acting) Returning Officer proposes to designate the Unity Centre as the polling place for BCA.
2. The polling place for BCB, Talbot Lane Methodist Church, has been unavailable for use during the 2021 and 2022 elections.  During this time, the Town Hall was used as a temporary polling place without any issues or concerns raised.  Talbot Lane Methodist Church is now owned by a charity and has carried out significant internal remodelling of the building.  The building is now used for educational visits by schools, which are booked many months in advance.  This means it is not possible to guarantee the building’s availability for elections, particularly for by-elections or short notice Parliamentary General elections.  Therefore the (Acting) Returning Officer proposes to designate the Town Hall as the polling place for BCB.
3. The polling place for BCI, The Hub, is no longer available for use and the polling place was temporarily located to Canklow Woods Primary School, which is also the polling place for BCG.  The (Acting) Returning Officer has not been able to find a suitable building within the polling district and given the low electorates of BCG and BCI and there has been no issues or concerns about the use of the school.  Therefore, it is proposed that BCI polling district is merged into BCG.  Canklow Woods Primary School would remain the polling place for the new BCG polling district.
4. The BCE polling district exceeds the new recommended number of electors to be allocated to a polling station. Potential housing developments in the polling district will also mean the electorate will increase further.  The (Acting) Returning Officer proposes to split the BCE polling district into two new smaller polling districts. The new boundary to create two polling districts would run down the middle of Broom Valley Road from the north of the current polling district, then running behind 33-41 Brunswick Road before running down the centre of Oakwood Grove before meeting the ward boundary with Sitwell ward by running along the boundary of 39 Beaconsfield Road. The new polling district to the left of the new boundary will be named BCE and the new polling district to the right will be named BCI. The polling place for the current BCE is polling district is which is centrally located for both the two new polling districts and has level access and sufficient space for two polling stations.Therefore the (Acting) Returning Officer proposes to allocate Broom Valley Club Room as the polling place for the new BCE and new BCI polling districts.

(Acting) Returning Officer’s proposed arrangements

* Electorate figures include projected increase due to potential housing development