On 2 May there are a number of important elections taking place across the region including elections to local councils, a mayoral election for the North East and a Police and Crime Commissioner election for Northumbria.
There is, however, a key issue in local elections with turn-out. In 2019 local authority elections saw a turnout of just 34% in the region. Only10% of young people under the age of 24 voted.
This low turnout is not just a one-off. Turnout for local council elections in the last decade ranges from 30% to 40% with the outliers being those municipal elections that take place on the same day as the general election. In 2015 with combined and parliamentary elections on the same day overall turnout in Newcastle was 56%.
Local elections
This means a significant section of the region’s electorate is not engaging with local elections nor with representative democracy. Yet as Professor Colin Copus, head of Local Governance at Leicester University argues, local elections are important. Despite huge cuts by the UK government, city and provincial councils across the north are million-pound anchor organisations employing thousands of staff.
Local authorities control several of the public services citizens use each day, including road sweeping, early years education, adult social care, children’s services, trading standards, community safety, economic investment, parks, planning and licensing regulation.
Choices made by the council have a visible effect on town and city centres as well a neighbourhoods and local communities. By casting a ballot, residents are making sure they have been part of selecting whom makes these important civic decisions. Furthermore, post-modern local government sets the rate of council tax for designated areas. These rates have a direct impact on the delivery of statutory and discretionary public services.
Local councillors
Ward councillors actually represent a much smaller geographical area of residents than MPs do. The average Newcastle ward or district has about 7,500 electors – that means a single vote is more likely to make a difference to the final result.
There still exists confusion and misinformation as to what elected members of local authorities do and how much they get paid carrying out their public duties. Contrary to popular belief most councillors in our region are poorly rewarded. Backbench elected members on Newcastle Council receive an annual allowance of £9,600 for two and half days work – well below the real living wage.
For city councillors, representing their ward is one is one of the most important aspects of the role. This can involve lots of different things but usually means councillors will spend time:
- Listening to the views of local people so that they know what problems and issues exist in their ward.
- Ensuring that the needs of their ward are taken into account when the council is making decisions about how it’s run, what services it should provide and how it should spend its money.
- Working with council staff to bring about improvements to their ward.
- Holding advice surgeries where local residents can drop in with enquiries about local issues like ASB, litter, transport or housing repairs.
- Getting involved in local campaigns and offering support to local community groups, schools, food banks and other organisations.
So residents should make contact with their local elected representatives to ensure their voice is heard.
Voting
Although less than a third of the region’s populace is aware that there are elections taking place next month all local authorities together with the independent Electoral Commission are running public awareness campaigns namely encouraging more people to register and apply for a postal or proxy vote. Both are secure and safe. So far over one third of Newcastle’s electors wish to cast their vote in this way. This is good for the health of local democracy and the wellbeing of neighbourhoods.
You need to take photographic ID with you to the polling station on 2 May. If you don’t have the accepted forms of ID you can get a free Voter Authority Certificate at electoalcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id or you can sign up for a postal vote in advance. No ID needed for postal votes and it’s a convenient way to
Register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Or ring Newcastle Council’s electoral services 0191 278 7878.
