Calls to ‘bin’ one million ‘unneeded’ election leaflets
Candidates also claim £10k charge is ‘anti-democratic’
recycling bins will be the biggest beneficiary of the poll to choose a first east Midlands Mayor, according to one of those standing for election in a few weeks’ time.
independent candidate Matthew relf is one of five in the running for the role, and says a million more leaflets are being printed about the May 2 election than needed.
Mr relf has also criticised the fact that as well as needing a £5,000 deposit just to be a candidate, those in the running are being asked to fork out another £5,000 to have an election message printed in the official booklet about the election.
Voters across Derbyshire and nottinghamshire will be choosing the first mayor at the May election, who will head up the new east Midlands combined county Authority.
That authority is being given billions of pounds to manage powers currently held by Westminster. it means the authority can make local decisions on issues ranging from housing to transport.
Five candidates have come forward to be the first east Midlands Mayor, but those from the smaller parties say the cost of running is “anti-democratic”.
An official booklet about the election will be posted to every eligible voter in nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, rather than to every household.
if a household has four eligible voters, therefore, it will be getting four separate leaflets.
Across both counties, it is estimated this means 1,250,000 more leaflets are being printed than necessary.
Mr relf said: “The price of this election goes up and up. This is an election that nobody asked for and the news that we will be charged an extra £5,000 just to get a page in their brochure is shocking.
“it is an affront to democracy. “To stand a chance of winning this £4million election, an independent like me has to find £10,000. “The election should be about who the right person is for the role, not who has the deepest pockets or the richest donors. “costs are spiralling out of control and the returning Officer is trying to claw cash back from charging everybody prohibitive costs. “The election is stacked in favour of the main political parties.
“Putting to one side that the vast majority get information online – the fact that they are preparing to print and post 1,250,000 more copies of a brochure than they need is bonkers.
“The biggest beneficiary of this election will be residents’ recycling bins.”
A spokesperson for the east Midlands combined county Authority returning Officer said: “For a mayoral election such as this the law requires that a booklet must be produced and sent out to every registered elector.
“Therefore, in order to comply with the law, a booklet will be sent out to over 1.6 million electors who are eligible to vote to explain the elections, and the role of the mayor and confirm the candidates who are standing.
“candidates who wish to stand in the election will be required to have 100 local electors who support their nomination and to pay a deposit of £5,000. All candidates who are validly nominated to stand will be listed in the election booklet.
“candidates will have the choice, in addition to being listed in the booklet to include their own election address (and) are required to contribute a small cost towards printing, which is £5,000.
“This is in line with electoral commission guidance and entirely consistent with other combined Authority areas who have produced booklets.”
The other four candidates for east Midlands Mayor were asked to comment on the costs faced by candidates and the number of leaflets being produced, with three of them responding.
Frank Adlington-Stringer, standing for the green Party, said: “i am concerned about British democracy and the seriously unfair electoral rules which those in power have designed.
“The green Party is the only major political party which refuses donations from unethical private interests in order to remain accountable to voters, not dodgy donors.
“Just as i had almost crowdfunded the £5,000 required to get my name on the ballot paper in this election, it was announced that another £5,000 was necessary to appear in a supposedly democratic election booklet. if i fail to raise this cash by the month’s end then only the wealthy will be represented.
“This self-perpetuating cycle of excluding people-powered candidates only reinforces the two-party system. The establishment gatekeeps our democracy.”
Ben Bradley, standing as the conservative Party candidate, said: “it’s really important that we start as we mean to go on and that everything in this process is as efficient and effective as it can possibly be within the legislation that’s been set out for us.
“i’ll be asking those questions about whether everything is being done to manage that cost and to make it as effective as it can be.
“We’ve also got a task of course to make sure we’re explaining to people what it is, how it will work and how it will benefit people.
“There’s a balance to be struck in all of that, but we absolutely shouldn’t be spending more than is necessary on duplicating things.”
Alan graves, standing for reform UK, said: “i oppose the creation of a newly elected politician and so all the costs are extortionate.
“The political fat cats say there was a consultation. This was a consultation no one, except a small elite group, knew about.
“i agree that delivering a booklet to every elector is a ridiculous idea when each household only needs one booklet.
“The deposit and the insertion charge is there to put people off standing. This makes it anti-democratic.”
The election should be about who the right person is for the role, not who has the deepest pockets. Matt Relf