The Selection and Member Services Committee of Kent Council was scheduled to meet on Thursday, 5th March 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of election fees and expenses for the upcoming year, as well as a discussion on the 2025 Election Review.

2026-27 County Scale of Election Fees and Expenses

The committee was set to consider the proposed County Scale of Election Fees and Expenses for the 2026-27 period. This annual review, previously handled by the Electoral & Boundary Review Committee, now falls under the remit of the Selection & Member Services Committee. The proposed scale largely adopts the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's (MHCLG) pay banding system for election staff, with specific adjustments for Poll Clerks and Presiding Officer fees, which are capped. The report also outlines proposed reimbursements for various election-related costs, including stationery, polling station expenses, and staff at the verification and count stages. A key recommendation was to approve the proposed County Scale of Election Fees and Expenses for 2026/27.

The report detailed the pay bands for various roles, such as casual admin support, polling station staff, and count staff, with specific hourly rates outlined. It also covered costs for Deputy Returning Officers and other miscellaneous expenses. The report noted that KCC has previously decided not to pay bookkeeping costs, and this continues to be the case for the 2026/27 scale.

2025 Election Review

The committee was also scheduled to discuss the 2025 Election Review. Further details on this item were to follow.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The minutes from the Selection and Member Services Committee meeting held on 16th December 2025 were also scheduled for review. These minutes covered discussions on committee structure, member development, and the Combined Member Grant Report for 2024/25.