Agenda Item No:  7

9th July 2013

                  

 

 

Corporate Report Format

 

 

 

To the Chair and Members of the

Elections and DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES COMMITTEE

 

ELECTIONS AND DEMOCRATIC STRUCTURES COMMITTEE - WORK PROGRAMME 2013/14

 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

1.         To consider and agree the key issues that will form the Elections and Democratic Structures Committee’s (EDSC) Work Programme for the 2013/14 Municipal Year and to note the Electoral Services Work Plan for the period June 2013 – June 2014.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

 

2.         The Committee is asked to:

 

1)    consider and comment on the EDSC’s draft Work Programme for 2013/14, as detailed in paragraph 4 of this report; and

 

2)    note the Electoral Services Work Plan for June 2013 – June 2014, as detailed in Appendix A to this report.

 

BACKGROUND

 

3.         At its first meeting of each new Municipal Year, EDSC approves an indicative Work Programme for the coming year.  This assists Members in planning and prioritising the work of the EDSC and helps to ensure that the Committee focuses on the key issues that need to be addressed during the coming year.

 

4.         Details of the Committee’s indicative Work Programme for 2013/14 are set out in the table below for Members’ consideration.  Members are requested to consider and comment on the draft Programme, and suggest any additional areas of work that they would like the EDSC to carry out during the coming year.  

 

ITEM	DATE TO BE CONSIDERED
·         Individual Electoral Registration Update ·         Postal Vote Refresh Evaluation ·         Electoral Review Update	26 November 2013

 

ITEM	DATE TO BE CONSIDERED
·         Individual Electoral Registration Update ·         Register of Electors Annual Canvass Evaluation ·         Polling District, Place and Polling Station Review Update ·         Preparations for Local and European Elections ·         Electoral Review Update	11 March 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.         It should be noted that once the Work Programme is agreed, there will still be some degree of flexibility in terms of varying the business to be considered at each meeting of EDSC, in order to accommodate any unforeseen matters or changing priorities that may occur during the year.

 

6.         A detailed Electoral Services Work Plan covering the period June 2013 – June 2014 is set out at Appendix A to this report for the Committee’s information.

 

OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND REASON FOR RECOMMENDED OPTION

 

7.         This report provides the Committee with an opportunity to develop a Work Programme for 2013/14.  The alternative is not to agree a work programme for the Committee.  This option is not considered appropriate, as it is considered good practice to have an established work programme in place.

 

RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS

 

8.         There are no identified risks associated with this report in formulating the Committee’s 2013/14 Work Programme.

 

LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

 

9.         There are no specific legal implications associated with this report.

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

10.       There are no specific financial implications arising from this report.

 

BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

11.      None.

 

REPORT AUTHOR & CONTRIBUTORS

 

Jonathan Goodrum, Principal Democratic Services Officer

E-mail: jonathan.goodrum@doncaster.gov.uk

Direct Dial: 01302 736709 

 

 

 

 

 

Linda Lawty, Electoral Services Manager

E-mail: linda.lawty@doncaster.gov.uk

Direct Dial: 01302 862045

 

 

Simon Wiles

Director of Finance and Corporate Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX A

 

Electoral Services Work Plan June 2013 – June 2014

 

27 June 2013: By elections held for 1 councillor for Hatfield Town Council, Dunscroft Ward and Norton Parish Council, Campsall Ward

 

Up to November/December 2014: A casual vacancy exists in the Askern Spa Ward and an election must be held within 35 days of receipt of a request from 2 electors from the Borough that an election be held. If no request is received within 6 months of the local election date in 2014 it will remain vacant until that election.

 

Boundary Review: provide information as and when required

 

Up to September 2013: Enhancements to the Electoral Management system (IDOX) to support Individual Electoral Registration (IER).  The introduction of IER is the biggest change to electoral administration for almost a century.  The 3 year project is a significant piece of work requiring transformation of existing systems and will be implemented alongside existing registration and election activities.

 

July to Aug 2013: Confirmation Dry Run (this is a compulsory test - Register data is sent to Department of Works and Pensions (DWP) for data - matching using Unique Property Registration Numbers (UPRN) and names and addresses to test the level of matching in each authority.

 

August – October 2013:  Postal vote refresh (brought forward from January 2014 in IER regulations)

 

October 2013 to February 2014: Last traditional canvass (delayed from August 2013 in IER regulations)

 

1 October 2013 – January 2015: Polling district, place and polling station review

 

1 Feb 2014: Publish Register of Electors (Delayed from November 2013 in IER regulations)

 

Feb 2013 – April 2014:  Possible Mini-canvass to target areas identified as low match areas based on the results of the confirmation dry run and the winter canvass

 

Spring 2014: Local and European elections, the Council of the European Union has decided to bring forward the period of the next European Parliament's elections from 5-8 June 2014 to 22-25 May 2014. It is expected the elections will be combined and now the date has been announced a combination order will follow for the local and European elections to be held on Thursday 22 May 2014.

 

July to August 2014: Confirmation of existing electors as far as possible, via data-matching