Issue - decisions

The committee received a report from the Chief Executive regarding a review of the elections held in May 2015 and an update on Individual Electoral Registration.

In response to questions from Councillor Gehring the Chief Executive said the following:

i.             The Returning Officer exercised her judgement when considering whether to accede to a request for a re-count.  There was no minimum percentage of voters which would trigger a re-count, the legislation required her to decide whether the request was reasonable.  In this instance because of the size of the majority and the checks and balances that were undertaken as part of the count process she did not consider it to be reasonable to undertake a re-count.

ii.            The agents at the count were advised that the only option available to the challenge the decision of the Returning Officer was to submit an electoral petition. 

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

i.             A mini count system was used in the May 2015 elections. Changes in legislation meant that counting could start in one ward before the whole of the verification process had been completed for all of the wards.

ii.            New Councillors were contacted to make them aware that they could request updated copies of the electoral register provided that the request was made in writing.

iii.           The City Council maintained links with other councils to share good practice, which included Oxford City Council.  Oxford City Council removed approximately 10,000 electors who could not be verified in 2014 therefore the percentage of electors who were removed from the electoral role in 2015 looked smaller.  The City Council had not removed people in 2014 so the numbers looked bigger now. 

iv.          A lot of work had been done to encourage students from Cambridge University and Anglia Ruskin University to register to vote.

v.           Work had also been undertaken with care homes to develop electoral registration packs so that residents in care homes could register to vote.

vi.          In relation to residents that were at risk of domestic violence, the issue as to who had authority to authorise anonymous voting will be raised with the Cabinet Office.

Members requested that a further report on individual electoral registration was brought to the next Committee meeting.  It was also requested that a report on the relocation of the election count venue was brought to Committee and this should include the positives, negatives and costings to use a different venue.     

Resolved (unanimously) to:

i. Note the issues raised in the report with regard to the Elections in 2015 and the implementation of Individual Electoral Registration (IER).

i.                                              

ii.                                          ii. Ask the Returning Officer to bring a further report on individual electoral registration to the next Committee meeting.  It was also requested that a report on the relocation of the count venue was brought to Committee and this should include the positives, negatives and costings to use a different venue.