Agenda item

To consider the attached report.

The Committee considered a comprehensive report of the Returning Officer, reviewing the planning and delivery of the local elections held in May 2018 and addressing other matters related to the responsibilities of the Returning Officer and the Electoral Registration Officer. The Committee was advised that candidates and agents for the elections had been offered an opportunity to provide feedback on the management of the local elections.

The Returning Officer reported that a team of appropriate officers had met regularly from late 2017 to plan for the elections and to ensure that processes were undertaken at the appropriate times. A project plan and risk register for the elections had been prepared, which was reviewed and updated on a regular basis throughout the election period. The Committee was advised that the Returning Officer had retained the services of specialist Counsel to advise on issues arising during the election period and that some difficulties had been encountered with the Council’s bank, which had taken a number of weeks to make necessary changes to the Returning Officer’s Account, following the resignation of the former Chief Executive (and Returning Officer) in December 2017.

The Committee was advised that the Public Relations Section had undertaken a sustained publicity campaign in the run-up to the election days to encourage registration and voting and that the BBC had complimented the Council’s provision of a media pack for the press as exemplary. The Returning Officer reported that a successful and well-attended candidates briefing had been held to brief candidates on the arrangements for the election, to which local media representatives had also been invited.

The Returning Officer reported that assistance had been received from Essex Police around the local elections and that the visible presence by the police and the additional security measures put in place to maintain the security of the election process and the count following the General Election in 2015, had continued to operate effectively. Members were advised that appropriate levels of staffing had been available for polling stations, the verification and the count and that service directors had been helpful in releasing officers from normal duties to undertake election processes.

The Committee noted that postal voting had continued to be very popular and that a return rate of 69% of postal votes issued had been achieved for the election. The Returning Officer reported that there had been a low number of postal ballots rejected at the verification stage and that no evidence of fraudulent activity had been identified. Members were advised that electors whose postal ballot was rejected at the verification stage were contacted by the Returning Officer after the election and, where required, specimen signatures were refreshed. The Committee noted that the rejection of postal ballots was always adjudicated upon by a Deputy Returning Officer.

The Returning Officer reported that there had been some changes to polling stations for the elections, particularly in Chigwell where a polling station had been moved to the Domus Mariae Centre (part of Chigwell Convent). Members noted that feedback had indicated that access to the Domus Mariae Centre had not been acceptable for less able voters and that this issue would therefore be addressed as part of the review of polling stations to be undertaken later in the year. It was reported that a replacement polling station at Nazeing Congregational Church had been acceptable, although it did not have adequate parking facilities and that a review of the access for disabled persons to the polling station at Hillhouse in Waltham Abbey would be undertaken for the local elections in May 2019. The Returning Officer confirmed that changes to polling station locations were always highlighted in the official poll card issued for the election and that investigation would be made of the return to polling station use of Whitebridge School in Loughton, notwithstanding that there were not to be any local elections in Loughton in May 2019.

The Committee was advised that the verification and counting of ballot papers at Debden Park High School had concluded by 1.05am, using a ‘mini count’ system. The Returning Officer had been disappointed to note that a number of count attendees (not staff employed by the Returning Officer) appeared to have obviously consumed alcohol before coming to the count. Members noted that one candidate had been asked to leave the count due to this issue and that the Returning Officer intended to amend the terms of attendance at the count for the local elections in May 2019, to make it clear that any attendee showing signs of the effects of alcohol would not be admitted to the count and that no drinking of alcohol would be permitted anywhere on the site of the count centre.

The Committee noted a number of comments relating to the management of the elections, that had been submitted by Councillor S. Murray. In response to Councillor Murray’s concern with regard to public admittance to the count centre, the Returning Officer advised members that, although Debden Park High School had the largest hall in the Epping Forest Constituency, the need to accommodate a significant number of count staff and persons attending the count by right, meant that there was no opportunity to provide general public access to the count.

The Returning Officer reported that the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 had introduced changes to the timing of compulsory reviews of parliamentary polling districts and polling places and that the next review was required to be completed between 1 October 2018 and 31 January 2020. The Committee was advised that it was for local authorities to decide when to carry out reviews within the determined period, but that it was considered that the review for the Epping Forest Constituency area should commence in January 2019. The Returning Officer advised that this approach would enable the completion of the annual canvass for the Register of Electors for 2018 and allow the completion of the review prior to the commencement of the canvass for 2019. Members were advised that the response to the review (and any changes) was a matter for full Council to approve and that the Committee would normally recommend the review to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and then to full Council. However, given the desirability of completing the review by July 2019, the Committee considered whether a direct report to Council should be made to enable the review timescale to be achieved.

The Returning Officer reminded members that, as part of the transformational work agreed by the Cabinet in December 2017, the Council had worked  with consultants to improve the response to the annual canvass for the Register of Electors, using behavioural insight techniques. The Committee noted that, whilst the Council continued to have one of the highest registration rates in the country and improvements had been made to the registration process over time, the two-part individual registration process was not well understood and officers had therefore reviewed the suite of registration forms to incorporate persuasive messages encouraging the early and accurate return of canvass forms. The Returning Officer indicated that the initial findings from the canvass were positive and that officers would review canvass response levels more fully at the end of the canvass period.

The Committee was advised that the Boundary Commission for England had submitted its final recommendations on revised parliamentary constituencies to the Government in September 2018. The Returning Officer reported that no changes were proposed to be made to the boundaries of the Epping Forest Constituency, but that the changes reflected in a second consultation on the boundaries of the Harlow and Brentwood and Ongar Constituencies had been formally proposed to the Government.

RESOLVED:

(1)       That the review of the management and delivery of the local elections held on 3 May 2018, be noted;

(2)       That the proposals of the Returning Officer for the management of local elections to be held on 2 May 2019, be noted;

(3)       That the appreciation of the Committee for the efforts of the Returning Officer and his team in ensuring the successful management and delivery of the local elections held on 3 May 2018, be recorded;

(4)       That no recommendations be made to the Returning Officer for changes to procedures for the management of future local elections;

(5)       That the proposed timeline and scrutiny arrangements for the statutory review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations to be undertaken during 2019, be agreed;

(6)       That the Overview and Scrutiny Committee be requested to agree that the Select Committee report directly to Council at its meeting in July 2019, on the any proposals arising from the review of polling districts, polling places and polling stations;

(7)       That the success of the behavioural insights work undertaken to improve response to the annual canvass for the Register of Electors for 2018, be noted; and

(8)       That the outcome of the Boundary Commission for England’s review of parliamentary constituencies, insofar as they affect the Epping Forest District, be noted.