Agenda item

The committee received a report from the Interim Chief Executive and Returning Officer, Mr John Hooton. The report sought approval of the draft terms of reference for a review of the elections and electoral registration function.

Committee members asked questions regarding the review which were responded to by Mr Hooton and Mr Evans, the Interim Chief Operating Officer.

In response to a request from members, Mr Hooton undertook to provide a copy of the Electoral Commission’s performance standards framework following the meeting.

The committee amended the description of “alternative delivery models” in the draft terms of reference to clarify that “different ways of running elections and electoral services” would be investigated. Reference to “wording process of individual elector registration” was recommended to be included in the review of the effectiveness of elections and the electoral registration function.

A typographical error in the last bullet point of the draft terms of reference was amended to clarify that the May 2016 poll was being referred to. 

Mr Hooton confirmed that the draft terms of reference had been circulated to Group Leaders, Councillor Cohen, and the Electoral Commission for comment.

Following discussion about the composition of the project board cited in section 4.1 of the report, the committee was advised that London Councils and the Electoral Commission had assisted to identify an independent investigator to lead the review.

The committee endorsed the submission of a report to the General Functions Committee meeting due to be held on 9 November 2016.

The General Functions Committee RESOLVED:

1.    That the draft terms of reference set out in Appendix 1 to the committee report be amended and approved to read as follows:

“To review Barnet Council's electoral and registration functions, to identify actions to be taken to improve these and to agree an action plan to ensure actions are implemented. Specifically to consider:

·                clarification of the role and responsibilities of the Returning Officer

·                clarification of the role and responsibilities of the Council in relation to electoral registration, elections and referenda

·                planning for elections and electoral registration activity in the context of the Electoral Commission's performance standards framework

·                the structure; reporting lines  and resourcing of the electoral services team including:

-            benchmarking the resourcing of the team with other London borough election/registration teams

-            investigating different ways of running elections and electoral services

·                the effectiveness of the elections and electoral registration function, including:

-            the arrangements for the  production and distribution of poll cards; applications for and distribution of postal votes; applications for proxy votes and proactive work to ensure an accurate and complete register of electors; the wording process for individual electoral registration

-            practical arrangements for elections including the staffing and operation of the election call centre

-            arrangements for the review of polling districts and the location of polling stations

-            previous election reviews and lessons learnt, including the independent review undertaken following the May 2016 poll and evaluation following  the EU Referendum

Timeline

Report to General Functions Committee 9th November Implementation of recommendations from the review in time for the 2018 local elections.”