Wick voters' furore

Grand Avenue residents Joyce and Peter Harris claim they received their polling cards only over Easter weekend but hadn't been told the ward boundaries had been moved.

Mrs Harris said: "We have always voted at Wick Hall, which is only a short walk away, but now our polling station is much further away. We did not realise until my brother pointed out on the cards that the boundaries had moved.

"Elderly people are not going to get up the hill to vote.

"The council said we could use a postal vote, but we were not given enough time to get it.

"My husband and I have always voted, but I am not going to go all the way up there to vote on principle."

Mr and Mrs Harris and their neighbours were moved into Ham Ward from Wick Ward as part of boundary changes, say Arun District Council.

A council spokesperson said: "The Boundary Commission made its draft recommendations during most of 2002, which were advertised locally for residents. The council also discussed the recommendations in full at open council meetings.

"Polling stations are picked for elections to be as central as possible to a ward. Residents who wished to use a postal vote were made aware of how to apply in the last issue of Arun Times, the quarterly council magazine which was delivered to all households in the district in March.

"If the resident does have a problem in getting to the polling station, they could contact the political party of their choice, who may be able to arrange transport for them on election day."