Local Elections and Referendum 2011

Ribble Valley goes to the polls on Thursday 5 May in local elections and a referendum on voting reform.

By now, electors will have received poll cards giving the location of their designated polling stations.

Polling stations will be open from 7.00am to 10.00pm and all eligible registered electors will be able to cast their vote in person.

Once inside the polling station, voters are required to tell staff their name and address, so that their details can be checked against the electoral register.

Voters will then be given a ballot paper listing the candidates standing for election. They are asked to take the ballot paper to a polling booth and mark a cross (X) in the box to the right of the name of the candidate they want to vote for. They are then asked to fold the ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot box.

Voters are asked not to write anything else on their ballot paper, or their vote may not be counted.

Anyone requiring assistance in completing their ballot paper can take a companion with them, or polling station staff may be able to help.

As well as local elections, there will be a referendum on the voting system used to elect MPs to the House of Commons.

Voters will receive a ballot paper with the following question: At present, the UK uses the first-past-the-post system to elect MPs to the House of Commons. Should the alternative vote system be used, instead?

Further information about how to vote in the referendum and what a yes or no result will mean is available from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Polling stations

Clitheroe - Henthorn Community Centre, St Ann's Court, St Mary's Centre, Brookside Primary School, Ribblesdale Technology College, The King's Centre

Longridge - St Lawrence Church, Longridge Civic Hall

Balderstone - Mellor Brook Community Centre

Barrow - Barrow Primary School

Bashall Eaves - Bashall Eaves Village Hall

Billington and Old Langho - Hodgefield Community Centre and Black Bull Car Park (mobile unit)

Bolton-by-Bowland - Bolton-by-Bowland Village Hall, Chaigley - Craven Heifer Car Park (mobile unit)

Chatburn - Chatburn Methodist Chapel

Chipping - Chipping and District Memorial Hall

Clayton-le-Dale and Salesbury - Salesbury Memorial Hall

Downham and Twiston - Downham Village Hall

Dutton - Panstones Farm

Easington and Slaidburn - Slaidburn Village Hall

Forest of Bowland (Higher) - Dunsop Bridge Village Hall

Forest of Bowland (Lower) - Whitewell Social Hall

Gisburn and Horton - Gisburn Festival Hall

Grindleton - Grindleton Primary School

Gisburn Forest - Tosside Community Hall

Harrop - Harrop Chapel

Hurst Green - Hurst Green Memorial Hall

Langho - St Mary's Parish Centre and Black Bull Car Park (mobile unit)

Mearley and Worston - Worston Mission Room

Mellor - Mellor Village Hall

Middop and Rimington - Rimington Memorial Institute

Mitton and Little Mitton - All Hallows Church

Newsholme and Paythorne - Paythorne Methodist Chapel

Newton-in-Bowland - Newton-in-Bowland Village Hall

Osbaldeston - The Heatley Rooms

Pendleton - Pendleton Village Hall

Ramsgreave - Ramsgreave Road (mobile unit)

Read - United Reformed Church

Ribchester - Ribchester Parochial Hall

Thornley with Wheatley - Little Town Dairy

Sabden - St Mary's Hall

Simonstone - The Old School

Sawley - Sawley Village Hall

Waddington - St Helen's Church

West Bradford - West Bradford Village Hall

Wilpshire - Wilpshire Methodist Church

Wiswell - Coronation Gardens (mobile unit)

Whalley - Methodist Church Hall