Independent report shows Hounslow General Election shambles

Andrew Dakers says "there are still many questions that have never been answered about the quality of electoral administration in Hounslow in the run up to the General Election"

In an unprecedented move Hounslow Liberal Democrats, Hounslow Green Party and the Independent Community Group formed a cross-party review team in December 2005 to study the findings of John Turner's independent report into the electoral administration in Hounslow in the run up to May 05 General Election. The team's conclusions, presented in a press conference this morning, are damning and show a council where malaise at the top of the organisation has left local citizens with their right to vote under very real threat.

Andrew Dakers, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Brentford & Isleworth said:

"At a time when our troops are giving their lives in Iraq trying to establish democracy, it is a disgrace that Hounslow Council could not run an election properly. The impact was that hundreds of members of our community - some voting for the first time - were denied the right to vote.

"There are still many questions that have never been answered about the quality of electoral administration in Hounslow in the run up to the General Election. Whilst we have confidence in the new elections team, the Chief Executive and Council Executive must now be held accountable for what has unfolded on their watch."

Tom Beaton, Spokesperson for Hounslow Green Party commented:

"For the individuals affected, the feelings of outrage are, understandably, immense. And that such very basic errors could be made shows a lack of proper respect for the voters of Hounslow. We get to the point where democracy itself must be considered to be failing."

Phil Andrews, Spokesperson for the Independent Community Group added:

"The London Borough of Hounslow's blunder meant that hundreds of local people who live, work and pay their taxes here were denied the most fundamental of rights - to have a say in who represents their constituency and who governs their country.

"This might not have been quite so bad had somebody somewhere been prepared to accept responsibility. The fact that nobody really has would suggest that the political leadership in this borough fails to appreciate the seriousness of what has happened, and inspires no confidence that all the necessary measures will be put into place to ensure that there is no repeat of this fiasco at the local elections in May."

OUR RESPONSE TO INDEPENDENT REPORT

• John Turner delivered to the brief he was provided by Terry Welsh (Asst Chief Executive Hounslow Borough Council) - however the brief was too narrow

• Canvass level is appallingly low - Hounslow ranks 30th out of 33 London boroughs

• Two years of inaction on recruitment is unacceptable

• Young people denied their right to vote at their first general election is a travesty

OUTSTANDING ISSUES

• Grave concerns that the other five issues we raised with Terry Welsh have been brushed under the carpet…

• People receiving only white polling cards but being on the register as postal voters
• People not found on the register on election day by staff, as they were at the bottom of the list (late registrations)
• People not on the register that had been previously
• Confusion over constituency boundary running through centre of borough: At no point did the elections office formally notify our agents of these boundary issues and mistakes in previously issued lists of postal voters
• General inaccuracies in the Electoral Register: In particular multi-occupied premises were observed during canvassing as having entries in the register that in no way matched the occupants. Noted particularly in Hounslow Central Ward.

• "Panel" that was supposed to be involved in Turner review was only convened once, to review a report that was already written

• Was Terry Welsh (Asst Chief Exec Legal) the appropriate person to be commissioning this report?

NEXT STEPS

• Giving Chief Exec Mark Gilks 14 days to respond on why our wider concerns (put in writing to Terry Welsh in May 05) have never been addressed

• Expect responsibility - thus far avoided - to be taken for this debacle

• Quality check of register at street level now a priority with local election less than 4 months away

• Door to door canvass of large sample must also take place

• Minimum standards and improvement targets must now be established and monitored by an independent panel

• Necessary Council budget should be ring fenced for Electoral Services for next four years. Between now and next budget reserve should be used.

Related Links

• John Turner's Independent Report