Issue - meetings

The committee received a report which provided an update on the effect of Individual Electoral Registration (IER) following the end of the transition period in December 2015.

In response to members’ questions the Electoral Services Manager said the following:

i.             If the European referendum was held this year the final date to be able to register to vote in the election would be 12 working days before the election date. A timetable for key dates for the election would be circulated to members once a date had been confirmed.

ii.            The wards mostly affected by the change in the registration system were Market, Newnham and Petersfield.  Trumpington ward had had a lot of development recently and this would explain changes to the numbers of registered electors.

iii.           The process to verify an individual before they could be added on to the electoral register can take time this might explain why these individuals did not appear on the copy of the Electoral Register held by Members. 

iv.          The Electoral Register was a fluid document and would regularly have individuals being added or taken off.  A printed version of the register would only provide a snapshot of information for when the register was printed. 

v.           There were 8864 students registered on the Electoral Register which equated to approximately 74%, it was not always easy to encourage students to apply to be on the electoral roll as students did not always live in student accommodation.

vi.          Internal Audit had looked at how the individual electoral registration (IER) process had been set in the Council.

vii.         The Electoral Services Manager was working with a group of Elections Officers in partnership with the Cabinet Office to see if there were any ways in which elections procedures could be improved for the next general election.    

Resolved (unanimously) to:

i.             Note the current registration situation in Cambridge, along with the work already carried out and that which is planned in the lead up to the May 2016 City Council and Police & Crime Commissioner elections.