Agenda item

Electoral Registration - Annual Canvass Reform

Report of the Town Clerk.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk in relation to the Cabinet Office’s current consultation on proposals to reform the annual canvass for the Electoral Register.

 

Introducing the report, the Electoral Services Manager informed the Committee that he and the Comptroller & City Solicitor had met with the Cabinet Office in the past week to discuss the implications of the proposals for the City. It had been clarified that there would be no obligation for the City to use the data emerging from these new arrangements as part of the annual canvass and that the City would therefore have the option to continue with its existing processes for updating both the electoral register and ward lists. On this basis, it was suggested that the City Corporation’s response to the consultation should be to agree with the approach being taken by the Cabinet Office.

 

Responding to Members’ questions, it was clarified that the proposed changes to legislation would be made via Statutory Instrument. Members also expressed concern that the wording of the letters to be sent to residents could cause unnecessary confusion and lead some to fail to realise they needed to register separately. The possibility of developing particular stationery and wording to assist residents and mitigate against this risk was discussed, with the Elections Manager undertaking to explore what could be done.

 

RESOLVED: That the City Corporation’s response to the Cabinet Office consultation on annual canvass reform be to agree with the proposals.

 

Supporting documents: