REPORT
1.PURPOSE:
nesday - December
1.1Topropose an updated local election charges structure in preparation for the local elections to be held on 1st May, 2008.
2.RECOMMENDATIONS:
2.1That the Schedule of Fees, Charges and Expenses shown at Appendix A be adopted for the local elections to be held on 1st May, 2008.
2.2That the Schedule be inflation linked using the Government deflator each April for local by-elections.
2.3For the avoidance of doubt, the long established practice of permitting Council staff to undertake duties for the Returning Officer without deduction of pay and for allowing the use of Council premises, equipment and systems without payment be confirmed.
3.KEY ISSUES:
3.1Various fees, charges and expenses are incurred in running an election. Under election law, these are incurred by the Returning Officer and recovered from the relevant body. For local elections the relevant body is the Local Authority responsible for elections.
3.2For national elections a charges order laid by legislation applies whereas for local elections the matter of fees and charges is a matter of local discretion. Monmouthshire last considered its own fees and charges on 2nd September, 2003 in preparation for the 2004 local elections.
3.3Election processes and practice has changed to some extent since 2004. For example, polling hours for local elections are now the same as for Parliamentary elections and the provision of mandatory training for Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks is established best practice, albeit still discretionary at local level. Many duties and responsibilities (eg. Polling Station Staff) are materially the same whether for national or local elections and it makes sense in these cases for national rates to be converted to local level.
3.4Conversely, there are areas, such as the Returning Officer’s fee per election where conversion of national rates is not appropriate as the local elections process involves a significant number of individual elections rather than one or two major ones. For these matters it may be sensible to use the 2003 fee structure as a base line.
3.5The recommended fee structure is appended to this report. For those items converted from national rates the 2007 Assembly election figures are used increased by 2.5% for inflation. Where the 2003 local elections baseline is used amounts have been increased by 10% representing four years inflation. The Schedule also includes some items to be charged on an ‘as incurred’ basis where this is appropriate and consistent with national charging orders.
3.6The Returning Officer is also responsible for Town and Community Council elections and these will run in conjunction with County elections in May 2008. The charges schedule provides for separately identifiable charges (eg. Ballot papers) to be recharged to the relevant Town or Community Council and for shared costs (eg. Polling Station accommodation) to be recharged at 25% of total costs.
4.REASONS:
4.1To ensure there is a transparent mechanism for paying the Returning Officer’s costs of election management and for recharging costs to Town and Community Councils where appropriate.
4.2To assist the Returning Officer in securing sufficient high quality staff are available for election work.
- RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS:
5.1The elections budget of £80,000 is not expected to be exceeded.
- CONSULTEES:
Corporate Management Team
Political Group Leaders
Results of Consultation
(To be completed after consultation period has ended), ie. No comments received/ No adverse comments received/Comments incorporated within body of the report/Comment received from specific Officer/Councillor) as follows:
7.BACKGROUND PAPERS:
Assembly 2007 Election Charges Order
8.AUTHOR:Steve Greenslade – Returning Officer
9.CONTACT DETAILS:
Tel:01633 644266
Email:
Appendix A
SERVICES AND EXPENSES IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE RETURNING OFFICER MAY RECOVER CHARGES.
1.Services of Returning Officer including the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers
1.1Provision for the Returning Officer's services in conducting a election and discharging that person's duties in connection therewith (including the issue and receipt of the ballot papers for persons entitled to vote by post).
1.2Subject to 1.3 below the maximum recoverable amount at a contested election for the specified services paragraph 1.1 is £99.00 per electoral division or community electoral ward.
1.3At an election the amount mentioned in 1.2 above is decreased to £33.00 in relation to an un-contested election per electoral division or community electoral ward.
2.Payment of presiding officers at polling stations
2.1Provision for the Returning Officer's expenses at an ordinary election in respect of the payment of presiding officers at polling stations.
2.2Subject to 2.3 below,, the maximum recoverable amount at an ordinary election for the specified expenses in 2.1 (including expenses incurred in respect of a person who takes over the duties of a presiding officer on polling day due to the incapacity of the previously appointed presiding officer) in respect of the presiding officer at each polling station is £162.00.
2.3At an election the amount mentioned in 2.2 above is increased by £42.00 where in relation to a combined election at County Council and at a Town or Community Council election.
3.Payment of poll clerks at polling stations
3.1Provision for the Returning Officer's expenses at an election in respect of the payment of poll clerks at polling stations.
3.2Subject to 3.3 below, the maximum recoverable amount at an election for the specified expenses in paragraph 3.1 in respect of each poll clerk is £98.00.
3.3At an election the amount mentioned in paragraph 3.2 is increased by £25.00 where in relation to a combined election at County Council and at a Town or Community Council election.
4.Payments to persons in connection with the operation of the Counts, issue and receipt of postal ballot papers, clerical and professional assistance etc.
4.1Provision for the Returning Officer's expenses at an ordinary election in respect of the payment of persons employed in connection with the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers and the count and any other clerical or other assistance for the purposes of the election.
4.2Subject to paragraphs 4.3 to 4.6, the maximum recoverable amount at an election for the specified expenses in paragraph 4.1 is £350.00 per electoral division or community electoral ward.
4.3At an un-contested election the maximum recoverable amount is £100.00.
4.4The amount mentioned in paragraph 4.2 is increased for every 100 voters, or fraction thereof, entitled to vote by post by £64.00 in relation to an election.
4.5The amount mentioned in paragraph 4.2 is increased by £50.00 for each re-count of votes.
5.Payments in respect of Training
5.1Provision for payment to be made to the Returning Officer in respect of expenses incurred in the training of presiding officers and poll clerks for duties on polling day.
5.2The maximum recoverable amount per presiding officer who receives training is £46.00 and is recoverable irrespective of whether the presiding officer who was in receipt of the training discharges the duties on polling day.
5.3In addition to the expenses recoverable under paragraph 5.2 the maximum recoverable amount relation to the preparation of training material is £144.00.
5.4In addition to expenses recoverable under paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 the maximum recoverable amount for each training presentation given by a returning officer or someone nominated by a returning officer to presiding officers and poll clerks is £118.00.
5.5The maximum recoverable amount per poll clerk who receives training is £46.00 and is recoverable irrespective of whether the poll clerk who was in receipt of the training discharges the duties on polling day.
5.6In addition to expenses recoverable under paragraphs 5.2, 5.3 and 5.4 the maximum recoverable amount of the Returning Officers costs incurred per training presentation is £201.00.
- Expenses of a Returning Officer recoverable on an “as incurred” basis
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in printing or otherwise producing the official poll cards and any supporting documentation relevant to and in connection with the electoral process (not required to be printed or otherwise produced) and in delivering such cards together with any such documentation to the voters.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in printing or otherwise producing and, where appropriate, publishing other documents and notices required to be so printed, produced or published.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in renting, heating, lighting and cleaning any building or room.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in temporarily adapting any building or room and in restoring it to a fit condition for its normal use.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in the provision of voting compartments for polling stations (in which voters can make their votes screened from observation) and such other furniture as may be necessary for such stations.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in the provision of ballot boxes and instruments for stamping on ballot papers the official mark.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in the conveyance to and from the polling station of the ballot boxes and ballot papers; and
of the voting compartments, any other furniture necessary for polling stations. - Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in the provision of stationery and writing implements and in postage, telephone and bank charges and other miscellaneous items.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in providing large versions of the ballot paper in polling stations for the assistance of voters who are partially-sighted and devices for enabling voters who are blind or partially-sighted to vote without any need for assistance from the presiding officer or any companion.
- Expenses of the Returning Officer at an election in connection with the provision of security measures.