Agenda item

FEEDBACK ON THE 2019 UK PARLIAMENTARY (GENERAL) ELECTION

Minutes:

Report CSD20031

 

The Committee were advised on the key issues relating to the UK Parliamentary (General) Election held on Thursday 12 December 2019.

 

The Mayor, Councillor Nicolas Bennett, in his capacity of Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Election, explained that he had formally received the writ, however the practical arrangements for the election had been undertaken by the Acting Returning Officer and the Elections Team. The Mayor informed the Committee that on polling day he had visited 30 different polling places (approximately 50 polling stations) and had been impressed by the staff in all stations.

 

Polling day itself had been wet and windy which had provided additional challenges and had resulted in muddy conditions in some polling places. The Mayor noted that further consideration should be given to the deployment of hay bales at polling places where muddy footpaths could be an issue in order to improve the overall voter experience. Members also noted that the poor weather conditions had an impact on polling station signage and it was suggested that consideration should be given to laminating signage or investigating other longer lasting and weatherproof options such as correx boards.

 

The Mayor also suggested that consideration should be given to reviewing whether it would be possible to speed up the counting process, noting that the results for the Beckenham Constituency were declared at 4.15am.

 

Members also noted that a small number of overseas electors had not been able to return their vote in time.  In response, the Director of Corporate Services (Acting Returning Officer for the Parliamentary Election) advised that Postal Votes were despatched in good time (as far as possible within the confines of the election timetable). It had to be recognised that absent voters had the option of either a postal vote or a proxy vote and where late applications were made for a postal vote electors were advised of their right  to appoint a proxy.

 

Members also noted that with regard to roadworks near polling stations, the Elections Team worked closely with colleagues in the Highways Department to avoid inconvenience to voters however where roadworks were commissioned by TfL or utility companies, the Elections Team had little or no influence and control.

 

The Committee noted that the Returning Officer was under no obligation to count votes on a ward basis.  For Parliamentary Elections, postal votes were issued for the constituency. The returned postal votes were then distributed across the wards within the constituency for the purposes of the count. It was recognised that these postal votes would distort the ward figures to some extent but this was unavoidable.

 

The Director of Corporate Services agreed to provide a Member with details of the total number of postal votes issued for Lewisham West and Penge Wards administered by Bromley Council.

 

In response to a question from a Member concerning different operational requirements in Lewisham Wards in respect of publishing hourly turnout figures, the Director of Corporate Services confirmed that the Lewisham Returning Officer had not required staff working in the Lewisham West and Penge Polling Stations serviced by LB Bromley to published hourly turnout figures.

 

The Committee thanked the Acting Returning Officer and the Elections Team for the delivery of a well organised election and noted that the Team had now commenced preparation for the London Mayoral Election in May 2020 – the third election this year.

 

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

 

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