BCP COUNCIL has confirmed that there will be a 'super-count' of five constituencies at the BIC in December's general election.

All the votes cast in Bournemouth East, Bournemouth West, Christchurch, Mid Dorset and Poole North and Poole will be counted at the central location.

The council confirmed there would be three polling stations in the Bournemouth area which are sited on school premises or premises shared with a school. However, a spokesman said: "All three schools concerned will have no need to close as there is separate access to the room used for polling in each case. This was the same during the 2017 election. The schools include Avonbourne. Girls’ Academy, St Luke’s School, and St James Church Annexe which is a shared church/school."

The new Dorset Council said it would be holding the counts for North Dorset, South Dorset and West Dorset at The Blandford School for North Dorset and Redlands Sports and Community Hub for South Dorset and West Dorset.

A spokesman said the anticipated start of the counts would be at approximately 1.30am following verification and it was estimated that they'd finish at around 4.30 am.

South Dorset and West Dorset will be counted in separate rooms at the same venue and the results would be published on dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

"We have contacted all our polling stations and we haven’t had any indications that there are any problems," said the spokesman."We have alternative options if there are issues. People will need to check the address of their polling station on their polling cards in case there is a change."

Chief Executive of Dorset Council and Elections Returning Officer Matt Prosser, said:

“Nine of the polling stations in the Dorset Council area will be located in schools but we have checked and are confident this will not affect any planned nativity festivities.

“We are helping the preschool based at Upton Community Centre to make alternative arrangements on 12 December as they will not be able operate from the building while it is being used as a polling station.

“This means, if your polling station is located in a school in the Dorset Council area, you can vote safe in the knowledge you haven’t upset any Christmas productions - all the more reason to make sure you are registered to vote!"

He said that voters had until November 26 to register. "It’s easy to register online, you just need five minutes and your National Insurance number.”

*To register to vote go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote