THE future of polling stations in Burnley is to be finalised following a review of existing sites.

Burnley Council officers have reviewed polling stations in all the borough’s wards and are recommending two changes.

Voters in Rosehill with Burnley Wood have used Burnley Wood Community Centre but, with the centre set to be bulldozed to make way for a controversial housing development, council officers have recommended Terracefield, in Springfield Road, as the new base.

And in Gawthorpe voters will no longer be able to use Padiham Baptist Church, with the building no longer available, and will instead have to use Padiham Primary School, in Burnley Road.

One polling station that will not be changed, despite protests from parish councillors and residents, is the use of the village hall in Cliviger.

The parish council were keen to see the old polling station, at the RACA Pavilion, in Park Road, reused.

A petition signed by 218 people was submitted to the council but officers said the pavilion was not suitable.

In a response to the parish council, Burnley Council said: “Use of the RACA Pavilion in Cliviger was discontinued as it was considered unsuitable for a number of reasons the most significant of which relate to accessibility and secrecy of the vote.” It is the second time the parish council have tried to get the venue changed.

In 2011 Burnley Council also rejected a request for a return to the RACA Pavilion, which the parish council appealed to the Electoral Commission, who upheld Burnley Council’s decision.

Councillors will discuss the proposals at the full council meeting at Burnley Town Hall on Wednesday night.