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A PETITION to move the Wokingham Without polling station this May has gathered more than 500 signatures.
Despite this, the creator said it was too late to see a relocation.
Lee Godwin, whose children attend Oaklands School, in Crowthorne, was calling for the polling station to be moved elsewhere, to ensure children would not “miss out on another day” of education.
He said the majority of parents at the school supported the push to relocate voters, but said it was “too late in the day” to see a change happen.
“Polling cards have been sent out now,” he said. “So the council is saying it’s too late to move locations.”
Mr Godwin said he hopes the borough council will review the site and consider other locations for future elections.
Andrew Moulton, assistant director of governance said the council has examined a number of possible alternatives including Pinewood.
“Regrettably, it has not been possible to identify a suitable alternative for these elections that meets the accessibility needs of voters as set out by the Electoral Commission,” he said.
“The council has been working closely with Oaklands to find ways to mitigate the impact on the schools site including the use of a temporary marquee in order to allow the schools to remain open to pupils.
“However, even with such a solution, the schools safeguarding priority which the council fully supports could not prevent the need for the schools to close to pupils on polling day.”
Mr Moulton said the council is writing to all parents to explain the situation in more detail.
He added: “In the longer term, and recognising the additional facilities that are planned in Wokingham Without ward, the council intends to review again the use of Oaklands as it fully recognises and sympathises with the desire to avoid future disruption to education.”
