Today the Electoral Commission issued its interim report on polling problems around the country, with those at Conewood Street, Highbury as one case of particular concern.
Also, the report highlighted key advice and recommendations that had been sent out by the Commission which we feel the Returning Officer failed to take notice of. In particular:
- Guidance from 2005 indicated that polling stations where possible should not exceed 2,500 potential voters yet St. Johns Vale combined two polling stations with a total of 3,900·
- Other areas extra staffing was brought in to help speed up administration, yet in Highbury with an extra 1,500 voters.
Islington’s Returning Officer, John Foster, has just received a £14,000 fee for running the elections despite taking responsibility for the lack of planning to monitor the situation on the day and put in place mechanisms to resolve problems quickly as well as taking planning assumptions into account .
Islington Green Party supports the Commission’s national recommendations that the restrictive rules which prevented participation should be changed.
