The following motion has been placed on the agenda. Up to 60 minutes shall be allowed for debates on motions on notice:
1. Councillor McConville, Labour Group
The Council notes:
The Elections Act received Royal Assent on the 28th of April 2022.
The Act is a major piece of national legislation with local implications for the residents of [insert Local Authority], including the use of mandatory photographic voter ID at the polling station, changes to overseas voting and voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens.
The 2021 census showed that 1 in 6 usual residents of England and Wales were born outside the UK. They live, work, study, make use of public services, and call the UK their home. Many foreign-born residents from EU and Commonwealth countries can vote in our local elections. However, over 1 million residents across England and Northern Ireland do not have a right to vote.
Scotland and Wales implemented residence-based voting rights where all residents with lawful immigration status have the right to vote in local and devolved national elections.
A poll conducted by Number Cruncher showed that 63% of people agree that all residents should have the right to vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland.
The Council welcomes:
That all our residents, no matter their nationality, call [Local Authority] their home and bring significant value to our area.
That the voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens with pre-settled and settled status who entered the UK before 2021 will be maintained.
That the London Assembly passed a motion in support of residence-based voting rights on the 11th of November 2021 and that various organisations in the democracy and immigration sector support the Our Home Our Vote campaign for residence-based voting rights.
The Council expresses concern that:
EU citizens who enter the UK from the 1st of January 2021 and are not covered by bilateral voting rights treaties (currently only active with Poland, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Spain) will not have voting and candidacy rights in local elections when the Elections Act is fully implemented. This will create an unequal situation where some EU citizens will have the right to vote where others will not.
The complexity in voting eligibility causes confusion reduces voter turnout in local elections amongst migrant voters, a group already showing disproportionately lower voter registration rates compared to British voters.
Local Authorities will be under-resourced to manage the removal of a significant number of EU citizens from the electoral register, possibly resulting in some being wrongfully removed from the electoral register.
The Council Resolves:
· That the Leader of the Council write to the Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities requesting that the franchise for local elections in England and Northern Ireland be extended to all qualifying foreign nationals in line with eligibility criteria in Scotland and Wales. This would ensure a UK-wide and fair approach so that all our residents, who are also our council taxpayers, are enfranchised.
· Work collaboratively with other local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to develop a strategy of communications about voter eligibility following the Elections Act.
· Ensure council officers in Democratic Services have a strategy in place to ensure that the implementation of the Elections Act, including the removal of some EU citizens from the register, does not wrongfully remove eligible voters from the register.
Minutes:
Councillor Chapman, Labour Group, outlined her motion which sought approval on various actions relating to the Elections Act.
Proposed by Councillor Chapman,
Seconded by Councillor McConville; and
RESOLVED:
· That the Leader of the Council write to the Minister of State at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities requesting that the franchise for local elections in England and Northern Ireland be extended to all qualifying foreign nationals in line with eligibility criteria in Scotland and Wales. This would ensure a UK-wide and fair approach so that all our residents, who are also our council taxpayers, are enfranchised.
· That this council work collaboratively with other local authorities and voluntary sector organisations to develop a strategy of communications about voter eligibility following the Elections Act.
· Ensure council officers in Democratic Services have a strategy in place to ensure that the implementation of the Elections Act, including the removal of some EU citizens from the register, does not wrongfully remove eligible voters from the register.
(Voting figures: 24 for, 0 against, 5 abstentions).