Waste service strike

A number of Tower Hamlets Council frontline waste service workers and street cleansers will be going on strike from 18 September to 1 October due to a national pay dispute.  

Despite the council working to maintain services for residents, the strike will impact collections and cleansing across the borough. We apologise in advance for the disruption this will cause. 

Find out more about the strike.


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How to vote

From Thursday 4 May 2023 you will be required to show photo ID when voting in person in the polling station at the following elections/polls:
  • UK Parliament by-elections
  • local elections in England (including councils, mayors, the Greater London Authority, and parishes)
  • recall of MP petitions in England, Scotland, and Wales
  • Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales
  • neighbourhood planning referendums and Business Improvement District referendums in England.
  • Local authority referendums in England (including Council Tax increase referendums).

Find out more on the GOV UK how to vote page.

Voter Authority Certificate

If you do not have any of the acceptable forms of photographic ID you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

You can also download an application if you live in the United Kingdom or abroad.
You must register before you can vote in UK elections or referendums.

There are three different ways you can vote:

Voting in person

If you are registered to vote, you will receive a poll card confirming the name and address of your polling station.

You cannot vote at another polling station and must vote at the polling station detailed on the card. Polling hours for all elections and referendums are from 7am to 10pm.

The poll card shows when, where and how to vote with a map showing the location of your polling station.

The poll card is for information only, but it will save you time if you take it to the polling station and show it to the election staff. If you lose your poll card or forget to bring it to the polling station – you can still vote without it.

Provided you are registered, you will be asked for your photographic identification (Voter ID). The poll clerk will ask you for your name and address which will be checked against the electoral register and provided everything is correct you will be issued with a ballot paper(s), and you then go to the booth to cast your vote.

You can also search online to find where your polling place is by entering your address/postcode into our polling station finder.

Voting by post

If you are unable to vote in person you can apply to vote by post. You can request a postal vote application form at any time of the year but please bear in mind that there is a deadline that applies when an election is taking place, and this is 11 working days before polling day.

Anyone can apply for a postal vote as long as they have registered to vote.
You must complete an application, providing your signature, this must be your normal signature and not one that has been digitally produced, and your date of birth.

You can request an application form by calling the Electoral Services Office or emailing postal.voting@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

You can also download a postal application form from the Electoral Commissions website.

Applications can be sent to the office by post or email postal.voting@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Lost or spoilt postal ballot papers

If you did not receive your postal pack or have lost or spoilt your ballot paper or postal voting statement, please contact the Electoral Services Office.

To receive a new pack, you need to come into the Town Hall in person with two forms of identification e.g., your photo ID (passport or driver’s licence) and proof of residence. This could be a utility bill or document with your address on it.

Receiving replacement postal packs is subject to strict deadlines so it is advised that you call the office first on 020 7364 0872.

Voting by proxy

Voting by proxy enables you to appoint in certain circumstances a person to vote on your behalf.

You may appoint someone to vote on your behalf if you are unable to go to the polling station for a particular election. For example, if:

  • you are away on holiday
  • you have a physical condition that means you cannot go to the polling station on election day
  • your employment or educational circumstances means that you cannot go to the polling station on election day
  • you are a British citizen living overseas, a crown servant or a member of Her Majesty's Armed Forces.
  • You are registered as an anonymous elector.

Your proxy must be eligible to vote, and they cannot vote on behalf of more than two people unless they are related to them. Your proxy can vote on your behalf in two ways:

  • by going to your polling station
  • by voting by post (known as postal proxy)

If you appoint a proxy, you may still vote in person, if your proxy hasn't already voted for you. You cannot vote in person if your proxy has already arranged to vote for you by post.

If you want to vote by proxy at a particular election or referendum you can also download a Proxy application form.

If you want to vote by proxy for the foreseeable future or for a longer period of time as detailed above please download a proxy vote form.

Postal proxy vote

Should your Proxy wish to vote by post, please contact the Electoral Services Office for a postal proxy application form.

This is important if your proxy lives outside of the Borough and cannot attend the polling place on polling day in Tower Hamlets to cast your vote on your behalf.

A postal vote is not automatically set up for a proxy so it is important that your proxy is aware that if they don’t apply to vote by post they must go to your polling place on polling day.

Emergency proxy vote

You can apply to vote by emergency proxy if after 5pm six working days before an election you have,

This form can also be used if your Anonymous Elector's Document is lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged.

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