Barnet Borough Council has been told to create an extra polling station amid fears poorer people could be prevented from voting.

The Electoral Commission wrote to the authority directing it to create a polling station at Annunciation Catholic School, in The Meads, Hale, to cater for people on the Watling Estate who previously voted at Deansbrook School, in Hale Drive.

A review last year found that voters living south of the former railway line, from Mill Hill East to Edgware, had to travel a long way to vote, and warned this could prevent them from doing so.

A recommendation was put to Barnet Council’s general functions committee in November to split the voting district in two, creating a new polling station at Annunciation Catholic School. 

This was rejected by Conservative councillors on the grounds that it could cause confusion for voters.

But following a letter from 30 voters last month, the Electoral Commission decided to intervene.

The letter stated that people south of the railway line had “considerable distances” to travel to vote, with many walking for more than 30 minutes due to limited crossings.

It added that the area is the poorest part of the ward, and was home to many elderly people and families without cars.

In a letter to Barnet Council, the Electoral Commission said: “We accept that any change to polling districts and places has the potential to cause confusion to electors but this risk needs to be balanced against the benefit to electors of more convenient polling arrangements. Any risk of confusion can also be managed.

“In this case, we find that undue weight was given to the risk of voter confusion, which could have been reduced through publicising the new polling arrangements, and that insufficient weight was given to the convenience of electors.”

Barnet Labour leader Councillor Alison Moore welcomed the decision after a “decade of fighting” over the issue.

Cllr Moore said: “The Conservative council has refused to make changes to this for ten years. I welcome the Electoral Commission’s decision to direct them to do the right thing and create two polling stations within the district, and ensure all voters within that area have an equitable, equal and fair chance of voting.”

Conservative Barnet Council leader, Councillor Richard Cornelius, said: “I accept the ruling and the recommendation will be implemented.”