Constituency Review 2023

Currently polling district BRA is in Rother Valley constituency, with the rest of the ward’s polling districts in the Wentworth & Dearne constituency.  Under the new Parliamentary constituency boundaries, all of Bramley & Ravenfield ward will be in the Rawmarsh & Conisbrough constituency.

Current Arrangements

There is potential for the following housing developments:

• BRB: 757 properties, with an estimated polling station electorate increase of 768.
• BRD:  180 properties, with an estimated polling station electorate increase of 217.

(Acting) Returning Officer’s comments and proposals

1. Polling districts BRB, BRC and WYF (Wickersley North ward) are allocated to Bramley Parish Hall, which is located over the ward boundary in Wickersley North ward. In 2021, to help with social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, BRC was temporarily moved to St Francis Church, which is just across the road from the Parish Hall.  St Francis Church, which is located within the Bramley & Ravenfield ward, has good accessibility, level access and parking facilities.   There were no known issues with using St Francis Church and it was used for BRC again in 2022.

As St Francis Church has worked well as a polling station for BRC, and is within the ward, it is proposed that St Francis Church is designated as the polling place for BRC. As St Francis has been used as the polling place for the polling district for the last two years, this proposal will not have any impact on electors.

2. In 2021 Bramley Grange Primary School, which is the polling place for BRF, requested not to be used as they had to close for polling day and because of the COIVD-19 pandemic.  St Francis Church was identified as a suitable alternative, which was only a short distance from the school.  St Francis Church has good accessibility, level access and parking facilities. There were no know issues with using St Francis Church and it was used for BRC again in 2022.

As St Francis Church has worked well as a polling station for BRF, it is proposed that St Francis Church is designated as the polling place for BRF. As St Francis has been used as the polling place for the polling district for the last two years, this proposal will not have any impact on electors.

3. Linked to the above proposals, as polling districts BRC and BRF are both in the same Parliamentary constituency, borough ward, and parish ward of Bramley Parish Council, it is proposed to merge BRF into BRC.  The merged polling district would be named BRC and have an electorate below the recommended maximum number of polling station electors.
4. BRB polling district is allocated to Bramley Parish Hall, along with WYF of Wickersley North ward, which is located over the ward boundary in Wickersley North ward.  Currently both BRB and WYF polling districts are in the same Parliamentary constituency, however, they will be in different Parliamentary constituency when the new boundaries come into force, with BRB in Rawmarsh & Conisbrough constituency and WYF in Rotherham constituency.  To facilitate the smooth running of Parliamentary elections and to avoid confusion as to which constituency electors should be voting in, it is proposed that BRB is allocated to St Francis Church. This will have minimum impact on electors, as St Francis Church is just across the road from Bramley Parish Hall and is within the Bramley & Ravenfield ward.

(Acting) Returning Officer’s proposed arrangements

* Electorate figures include projected increase due to potential housing development