A PENARTH councillor has accused the Vale Council of failing to serve the elderly and infirm by refusing to change the locations of polling stations in the ward he represents.

Councillor Anthony Ernest, who represents the Plymouth ward, has branded the location of the polling stations in his ward as “poorly sited” and said they don’t serve the elderly and infirm residents in his ward.

He said that for many years there had been “considerable concern” about the location of the existing polling stations.

Plymouth ward is currently served by polling stations at Stanwell Road Baptist Church, All Saints Church Hall, Lower Penarth Community Centre at Brockhill Rise and Cwrt-y-Vil Community Centre.

Cllr Ernest said that his proposals to improve the availability of polling stations to the elderly and infirm in Penarth’s Plymouth ward had been “rejected out of hand” by Vale officials, after the authority decided after a review that only one change was needed to polling stations across the Vale.

He said: “The result of these poorly sited polling stations is that many elderly and infirm residents in my ward, especially those in the centre of this large ward, have to travel considerable distances to vote for the party of their choice as well as their local councillors at election times, and the reality is that many of these senior citizens together with those staying in the numerous Homes for the Elderly and Nursing Homes in the area, are just unable to make the long and arduous trip to these existing stations, which are not accessible by public transport.

“This means, in effect, that many of my constituents are disenfranchised by virtue of mobility and age issues, and my logical proposals to the Vale’s Review Team were to place one of more additional polling stations in the centre of the ward where they would be much more accessible, rather than outside or on the edges of my ward as at present.”

He added that he believed the potential cost and staffing issues were the reasons behind the authority’s decision.

Sian Davies, Managing Director of the Council and Returning Officer for the Vale, said that the council has a duty to review polling places and polling stations situated in the Vale of Glamorgan every four years, with the aim is to ensure that all electors have reasonable facilities for voting. The review considers access to each polling station, the suitability to conduct polling and other features.

She said: “The initial consultation period for this review took place between 01 August and 15 September 2014. During this period a number of representations were made. All of these were considered. As a result one change to polling stations in the Vale is being proposed.

“For those who wish to comment on the outcome of the initial consultation, there is now a second consultation period that will last until October 24. During this time views on polling stations in the Vale can be submitted in writing or by email.”