Opposition Members have been advised that the Local Election Count is likely to take place at City Limits, Collier Row Road, Dagenham, Romford, RM5 2BM.
City Limits is right on the edge of the borough, a few steps further you will be in Barking & Dagenham.
Historically election counts have been held at the Hornchurch Sports Centre which has been demolished and replaced with the new Harrow Lodge Leisure Centre. What wasn’t made clear as part of the development process was that the new sports hall would be too small to host corporate and sizeable events.
Councillor Gillian Ford Chair of the H.R.A said, “How ridiculous and short-sighted. We are now looking at private companies to provide facilities for the count, at a cost to the taxpayer. We are not just talking about Local elections, there are the Mayoralty, General Elections, and the possibility of needing an emergency hub.”
Councillor Ray Morgon Leader of the opposition said, “Rather than investing to save longer-term, and developing a facility that would be multi-functional and an income generator, we now have a hall not fit for other purposes and an additional budget pressure”.
Re the above, City Limits is now called The City Pavilion and is firmly inside the boundary of Barking and Dagenham Council. Admittedly, the Havering boundary is only about 200 yards away, although Redbridge is probably closer. The arrangement of the borough boundaries is rather strange in this area. The 247 bus goes into all 3 boroughs within a few hundred yards.