Issue - meetings

2.50pm

Report by the Director of Law and Governance

Each year the Council needs to set a scale of election fees and expenditure for the holding of elections of county councillors.  This Committee is responsible for approving the ‘scale of fees’. The Committee last did this in December 2016, approving a scale of fees to apply throughout the year 2017/18 and in particular for the May 2017 County Elections. 

A scale of fees for the financial year 2018/19 now needs to be agreed. As in previous years, the review has been undertaken in consultation with the City and District Councils in Oxfordshire who assist the Council in the running of County Council elections. This year the scale of fees has been reviewed in the light of the experience of the County Election.

The proposed scale of fees is included as an Annex to this report.  Committee is requested to approve the proposed Scale of Fees to apply from the start of the financial year 2018/19.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Scale of Expenditure for the financial year 2018/19, as shown in Annex A to this report, for the election of County Councillors and any other local referendums.

Recommendation agreed.

Mr Watson presented the report and highlighted the differences from last year when a full review had taken place.  The payments for preparation of ballot boxes and the fee for poll clerk have been increased.

Mr Watson responded to Members’ questions as follows:

·         In last year’s elections a lot of recruits cancelled at the last minute.

·         Our fees would be out of kilter with the City Council’s in particular if we do not raise them.

·         Most recruits are local authority staff, former staff or friends and family of staff but anyone can apply.

·         If the owners of a building asked for too much money, the Council would simply go elsewhere but this has not happened.

·         The preparation of ballot boxes involves making sure that they have the correct register, sufficient ballot papers and supplies.

RESOLVED: to approve the Scale of Expenditure for the financial year 2018/19, as shown in Annex A to this report, for the election of County Councillors and any other local referendums.