Issue - meetings
TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
Meeting: 11/07/2012 - Council (Item 12)
12 TO CONSIDER MOTIONS SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PDF 107 KB
The motions submitted by Councillors for debate at this meeting are set out in the attached report.
Decision:
12.1 Electoral concerns in Tower Hamlets
Councillor Peter Golds moved, and Councillor Timothy Archer seconded, the motion as printed in the agenda.
The motion as printed in the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed.
DECISION
This Council notes that:
Following concerns raised by residents, the media, local Members of Parliament and the political parties, the police announced that they would be investigating voting concerns in the borough following the Spitalfields and Banglatown by election on April 19th.
That the election in Spitalfields and Banglatown was decided by 43 votes and that local residents complained of postal votes being collected from their homes by supporters of a particular candidate.
That in one case a householder repeatedly stated that there were just three residents in their property, whilst eight names were registered and all had postal votes.
That in the by election some 14% of postal votes returned to the town hall were rejected because of issues relating to dates of birth and signatures, yet in the May GLA election this figure of rejections fell to 7.66% of postal votes rejected on return.
That the following data concerning the April by election and the May GLA elections from five small areas gives rise to concern:
Brune House, E1
Flats: 92
Electors: 231
Registered postal voters: 69
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 55
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 25
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 60
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 54
Herbert House House, E1
Flats: 43
Electors: 108
Registered postal voters: 38
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 29
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 19
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 27
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 21
Chicksand House, E1
Flats:70
Electors: 194
Registered postal voters: 46
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 39
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 24
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 31
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 32
8-24 Chicksand Street, E1
Residential properties:25
Electors: 67
Registered postal voters: 38
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012:16
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 7
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 16
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 11
14 Brick Lane, E1
Flats: 18
Electors: 44
Registered postal voters: 16
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 12
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 4
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 0
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 4
Total votes cast by post from these addresses on April 19th : 151
Total votes cast by post from these addresses on May 3rd ... view the full decision text for item 12
Minutes:
12.1 Electoral concerns in Tower Hamlets
Councillor Peter Golds MOVED, and Councillor Timothy Archer SECONDED, the motion as printed in the agenda.
The motion as printed in the agenda was put to the vote and was agreed. Accordingly it was :-
RESOLVED
This Council notes that:
Following concerns raised by residents, the media, local Members of Parliament and the political parties, the police announced that they would be investigating voting concerns in the borough following the Spitalfields and Banglatown by election on April 19th.
That the election in Spitalfields and Banglatown was decided by 43 votes and that local residents complained of postal votes being collected from their homes by supporters of a particular candidate.
That in one case a householder repeatedly stated that there were just three residents in their property, whilst eight names were registered and all had postal votes.
That in the by election some 14% of postal votes returned to the town hall were rejected because of issues relating to dates of birth and signatures, yet in the May GLA election this figure of rejections fell to 7.66% of postal votes rejected on return.
That the following data concerning the April by election and the May GLA elections from five small areas gives rise to concern:
Brune House, E1
Flats: 92
Electors: 231
Registered postal voters: 69
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 55
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 25
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 60
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 54
Herbert House House, E1
Flats: 43
Electors: 108
Registered postal voters: 38
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 29
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 19
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 27
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 21
Chicksand House, E1
Flats:70
Electors: 194
Registered postal voters: 46
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 39
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 24
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 31
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 32
8-24 Chicksand Street, E1
Residential properties:25
Electors: 67
Registered postal voters: 38
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012:16
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 7
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 16
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 11
14 Brick Lane, E1
Flats: 18
Electors: 44
Registered postal voters: 16
Postal votes cast April 19th 2012: 12
Postal Votes Cast May 3rd 2012: 4
Votes cast in person at polling station on April 19th: 0
Votes cast in person at polling station on May 3rd 2012: 4
Total votes cast by post from these addresses on April 19th : 151
Total votes cast by post ... view the full minutes text for item 12