Identify and book suitable venues and plan layouts
You should identify appropriate venues for all election activities as early as possible.
Your project plan should cover the identification of suitable venues for all processes that you are responsible for.
You should contact the managers of these premises at an early stage to inform them of the dates, and make the necessary booking arrangements. This will highlight where any venues are not available and should allow sufficient time to act on the information and identify alternative premises.
Ensuring venues are accessible
As part of your review of previous electoral events, you should have undertaken an evaluation of the accessibility of venues used. The results of this should be used to inform your planning and to ensure that any identified barriers to access can be overcome.
Under the Equality Act 2010, service providers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to avoid putting people with disabilities at a substantial disadvantage compared to people who are not disabled.1
You should work closely with experts on access to premises or facilities for disabled people in order to comply with the duty. The equalities officer at your local authority should be able to provide you with advice and assistance.