Local Election Polling Venues

Four of Wiltshire's leisure centres, two libraries and the history centre will play a part in the upcoming elections, with alternative arrangements put in place to keep any disruption to a minimum for customers.

Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, The Olympiad in Chippenham and County Hall which encompasses Trowbridge Library are being used as count venues. On 6 May only, The Vale Community Campus in Pewsey, Marlborough Leisure Centre, Malmesbury Library and the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre are hosting polling stations.

At Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, which will be used as a count venue, the sports hall will be closed for exclusive elections use from Thursday 29 April to Monday 10 May. From 12 noon on Thursday 6 May until Monday 10 May, leisure customers may be impacted by the following changes at the centre:

• Squash Courts will be closed
• Gym will be open with access from alternative entry points
• Public swimming and swimming lessons will run as scheduled, with access from alternative entry points
• Leisure customers will park in the rear car park

There will be a concierge service to help guide leisure customers through to the revised entry points to access the centre. People will not be able to walk into the main reception; however, staff will still be answering calls and emails during this time. There will be no changes to the gym, swimming and outside exercise class programme. Specific details about access during this period will be available on our Five Rivers webpage.

The Olympiad in Chippenham will be used as a count venue, however, there will be little impact for leisure customers during this time, with only a slight change in the exit route for those attending swimming lessons on the Friday and Saturday evening and staff will be on hand to support these changes. Customers can otherwise use all entrances as per usual and there will be no impact on car parking.

County Hall in Trowbridge will also be a count venue and will be open for the re-issue of postal votes and emergency proxy applications until 5pm on Thursday 6 May, although will close to the general public from 1pm on Thursday 6 May until the morning of Monday 10 May. Trowbridge Library, located in County Hall, will be open for Covid-secure browsing and computer use from 10am to 1pm on Thursday 6 May, and then remain closed until Monday 10 May. During this period of closure, customers can continue to return books through the letterbox, and these will be processed on the Monday.

The Vale Community Campus in Pewsey will be used as a polling station on Thursday 6 May. The polling station will be located in the sports hall with entry and exit via the sports hall only, with no impact on other services for customers accessing the centre during this time.

Marlborough Leisure Centre will also be using the main sports hall as a polling station on Thursday 6 May but will remain open to the public as normal with no changes for customers using the current gym and swim service.

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre will be used as a polling station and will therefore be closed to search room customers on Thursday 6 May.

Sam Fox, Director for Place at Wiltshire Council, said: On Thursday 6 May, the Wiltshire Council unitary elections for 98 divisions will take place, as well as the town and parish council elections and the Police and Crime Commissioner election, alongside a number of neighbourhood plan referendums.

As part of this huge logistical process, a small number of our leisure centres, libraries and the history centre will be helping to host the elections, the results of which will make important decisions that will impact people's day to day lives. We apologise for any inconvenience the closure and adjustments of buildings will cause for customers during this period and have tried to do everything possible to minimise this impact.

For any buildings that will be involved, there will be staff on hand to support customers with any changes to access and parking, if applicable. We thank everyone for their support to our teams during the elections weekend, whilst they help facilitate this monumental effort.

When voting at the elections, people are being reminded to bring a mask to wear at the polling station, and their own pen or pencil to cast their vote.

For more information about the elections, people should visit: May 2021 Elections

For leisure centre information including opening hours, people should visit: Leisure and sport centres

The library opening hours can be found at: Library locations and opening times