2.40 p.m.

Report by Corporate Director Commercial Development, Assets, and Investment

The Audit and Governance Committee is RECOMMENDED to note the Scale of Election Expenses for the Financial Year 2022/23 for any poll associated with the County Council during the year (Annex 1).

The Audit & Governance Committee considered a report by the Corporate Director Commercial Development, Assets and Investment in which it was noted that the County Returning Officer was responsible for the conduct of the County Council elections and by-elections.

Expenditure properly incurred by the Returning Officer was paid by the Council and, as such, a scale of expenses was set as a guide to such expenditure. The scale of expenses set out in the Annex to the report would be applicable to any by-elections held within the 2022/23 financial year.

In accordance with the Council’s practice, a review had been undertaken in consultation with the County, City, and District Council election specialists in Oxfordshire who assisted the Returning Officer in running the County Council’s elections and by-elections. The District Councils would use this scale when acting on behalf of the Returning Officer and were generally mindful of the County Council’s scale of expenses when setting their own scales of expenses.

The scale had been brought to the Committee in the interests of transparency for this area of election governance.

The Audit and Governance Committee was recommended to note the Scale of Election Expenses for the financial year 2022/23 for any poll associated with the County Council during the year.

Anita Bradley, Director of Law and Governance, presented the report. In so doing, she declared an interest as the Council’s Returning Officer.

In the subsequent discussion, the following points were raised.

(a)  Ms Bradley, in response to several questions, clarified certain details set out in various sections the table presented in the report that was before the Committee.

(b)  In response to a question about the fees referred to in the report reflecting the “Oxford Living Wage”, Ms Bradley stated that this was a matter for the Council to determine and not one for her in her role as Monitoring Officer. She also noted the legal position regarding her liability as the Returning Officer and the requirements to be suitably indemnified.

(c)   In response to a question about the level of fees, Ms Bradley stated that the fee levels were based on historical data and they were within her gift. She went on to say that she had had brought this report before the Committee in the interests of transparency and to ensure that Committee Members were aware of the process and how fee levels were fixed.

It was her view that the fee levels were reasonable, proportionate, and sufficiently financially attractive to encourage enough persons to perform these roles when required.

(d)  Regarding the Note on Page 44 of the report, which stated –

“Where there is any combination of poll with District or Parish Councillors, wherever appropriate and as far as practicable, the costs are to be shared on an equal basis between the relevant Authorities, unless a particular expense can be allocated to a specific poll.”

Ms Bradley noted that there were different statutory provisions governing the organisation of, and remuneration in relation to, local and other elections and that there was a rigourous process involving central and local government in determining the allocation of costs in relation to both local and national elections. She confirmed that she would need to seek clarification on whether the County Council could, beyond its statutory obligations, subsidise any other elections.

(e)  Regarding by-elections, Ms Bradley stated that there was contingency funding for by-elections. However, should that contingency fund not be sufficient, it may be necessary to seek additional funding.

Ms Baxter confirmed that, in the last 8 to 10 years, the reserve fund had been more than sufficient to meet the costs of local by-elections.

The Chair proposed that the Committee agree the report’s recommendations.

AGREED