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The Council considered a report which sought
approval to a scale of fees for electoral events from 1 April
2024.
 
The Chief Executive stated that, as
Recommendation 2.5 in the report referred to the Returning
Officer’s fee, he would be withdrawing from the meeting for
the remainder of this item. 
Accordingly, he withdrew from the meeting.
 
It was moved by Councillor Richard Henry, and
seconded by Councillor Sandra Barr, that the recommendations in the
report be approved.
 
In moving the report, Councillor Henry drew
attention to the point that, whilst Government guidance concerning
the scale of fees for staff supporting elections remained in draft
form, the Department for Levelling Up Communities and Housing
(otherwise known as DLUCH) had indicated that it would be
applicable across Great Britain for all national polls from 2 May
2024 onwards, when the Police and Crime Commissioner elections
would be held, which would be combined with the Borough Council
all-out local elections.  Therefore,
this was the last opportunity for the scale of electoral fees to be
considered by Council ahead of those elections taking
place.  He was sure that the shared
desire across the Chamber would be for the Returning Officer to be
able to employ the best possible team to run the elections whilst
also meeting his statutory obligations.
 
In reply to a Member’s question on the
report, it was confirmed that Polling Station Inspectors were three
senior officers who visited polling stations throughout the day on
election days to check on the welfare of staff and to ensure that
each station was set out correctly in accordance with legislation
and guidance.
 
Upon the motion being put to the vote, it was
RESOLVED:
 
1.         
That the scale of fees for electoral events from 1
April 2024, as outlined in Appendix A to the report, be
approved.

 
2.         
That the Chief Executive (as appointed Returning
Officer) keeps the fees for electoral staff under review and be
delegated authority to amend any of those fees following revised
national guidance issued by Central Government.
 
3.         
That the Chief Executive be delegated authority to
create additional roles for electoral events with attributable
fees, as required.
 
4.         
That the Chief Executive be delegated authority to
uplift any electoral staff fees as appropriate due to market forces
or other factors (such as difficulty in recruiting
staff).
 
5.         
That the Returning Officer’s fee be uplifted
each year following agreement of the JNC pay award for Chief
Executives.
 
In closing the meeting, the Mayor announced
that this would the last Council meeting that she would be chairing
throughout.  She thanked everyone for
their contributions to the meeting and throughout her time as
Mayor.