Tory leader issues the call for major election shake-up
Full poll every four years ‘would bring stability’
HOLDING one full Rossendale council election every four years could boost longer-term planning, improve the public’s view of local politics and help finances, the area’s new interim Conservative leader believes.
Coun David Foxcroft submitted a motion to last week’s full council, asking members to consider a consultation process on whether the current system of phased elections in three out of four years should be scrapped.
While the motion was rejected by Labour, there were positive noises from all sides of the chamber about the change.
Under the current rolling elections system, onethird of all borough councillors are elected per election round.
However, the system can be baffling to many, it is feared. In addition to regular borough elections in three out of four years, Lancashire County Council elections are also held.
In contrast, the rolling cycle is not used at many English unitary councils or at Westminster. At Parliament, general elections see all MPs up for election at the same time and Westminster governments are usually in power for years without interruptions of rolling elections.
A review in 2000 of Rossendale council electoral wards and cycles did not recommend any changes, following no local views expressed on the issue.
However that could change.
Since 2000, the national debate about local election cycles has grown. The Electoral Commission
warned in 2004 that public confusion about elections was adding to a general ‘malaise’ affecting democracy, hitting voter turnout and political activity. It recommended all local councils to move to four yearly elections.
But change was optional for councils and has been patchy. In recent times, some councils have decided to move to fouryearly election cycles, such as in Worcester.
Local elections are due once again in Rossendale this spring.
An electoral review of Rossendale is due by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.
Coun Foxcroft’s motion recommended that councillors should ask officers to open a consultation process on whether the council should change to whole-council elections every four years, to be triggered upon completion of
the boundary review.
The motion stated: “The main rationale in favour of changing the electoral cycle are to provide a council with a clear mandate for four years, allowing it to adopt a more strategic, long term approach to decision-making.
“Currently in three years out of four, time is taken out for political campaigning which can be both disruptive, create negative perceptions of the council and instability for the organisation for medium term plans and projects.
“The move to a fouryearly cycle would provide the electorate with clarity.
“Elections by thirds are not well understood by the electorate.
“A move to four-yearly elections would avoid election fatigue and is likely to be more easily understood by the electorate.
“There would be a financial benefit to the council in moving to fouryear elections.”
It added: “Members (councillors) should note that consultation in accordance with the law, on whether the council should change to wholecouncil elections every four years, will need to occur.
“But full details will be provided by a further report, if the motion is carried.”
Labour council leader Coun Alyson Barnes told the meeting she agreed with the “principle” of four-year elections, yet could not support the overall motion.
She said the electoral review would look at the regularity of elections and the number of councillors in Rossendale, and it would be wrong to “preempt” this exercise without letting the council “put forward its considered
thoughts”.
Coun Barnes added: “We are not putting forward our considered thoughts - we are just responding to this motion.
“We would also like to hear from members of the public. It’s at that point that we will decide whether we want to be a council elected by thirds, or all out.
“I’m really keen that we do this properly and that the public have a say.”
In past years, a Local Government Commission for England review of Rossendale in 2000 recommended that the borough should keep holding local elections by thirds.
The recommendation was made because the commission then did not receive any proposals or comments about the electoral cycle. So, it made no recommendations for change.
Coun Foxcroft’s motion was defeated.