Non-motoring > Future election cycle - local elections Miscellaneous
Thread Author: smokie Replies: 5

 Future election cycle - local elections - smokie
I think this may be a national thing - our local council are consulting us on whether elections should be every 4 years a vote in an entire new council or 3 out of four, where a third of councillors are elected each year for three out of four.

I think I prefer the four year option, and that certainly sounds to be the Council's preference on the leaflet I have in front of me, but I can see benefits to the other method too.

This is the website engage.wokingham.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/future-election-cycle

I'd be interested to know is anyone else being asked to look at this in their district.
 Future election cycle - local elections - Duncan
May I respectfully suggest that, among the general public, it will generate a level of interest which will struggle to reach zero.
 Future election cycle - local elections - smokie
Haha but this 'ere place isn't the general public!!

Anyway as with all things these days the general public will not take any notice till after the event when it's too late and then say they don't like it and weren't consulted.

 Future election cycle - local elections - Terry
If the control of the council is close, contesting one-third of the seats every year is a recipe for a chaotic change of council control at frequent intervals, leading to limited continuity, short-termism in planning and service delivery.

Conversely, once every 4 years means being stuck with the wrong clowns for longer.

However this may be the better way - the "one third" approach almost guarantees failure, the once every 4 years means sometimes the outcome may be right.
 Future election cycle - local elections - Bromptonaut
The Council in Liverpool which was the subject of a highly critical audit report last year has a cycle of regular elections most if not all years. The auditor suggested that the frequent elections caused instability and led to parts of the Council being in permanent election mode.

The new Unitary councils round here have replaced elections 3 years four in some constituent Districts/Boroughs with a whole council election.

Better on the whole I think for the reasons Terry spells out.
 Future election cycle - local elections - smokie
Yes it seems the more sensible way to go to me. Thanks for your views.
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