At the last Policy, Resources and Economic Development Committee, on 10^thJuly 2019, the recommendation was for a detailed paper with financial consequences of a four year election cycle and the steps required to move from 1/3 to all out elections to be brought to the next Policy, Resource & Economic Development Meeting in September.

Officers have collated as much further information as possible within the timescales available.

The previous report stated a “The typical cost to the Council of a combined  election is £60,000; the cost of a single Borough Council election is £90,000”.

This was due to Brentwood Borough Council have been advancing £60,000 every year for the election cycle. Further investigation by officers have since found that high level costings of a Local Election to the council is £75,000, Single or Combined.

Currently high-level costings assume whole council elections would cost in the region of £94,000 per cycle. Potentially this option would generate a saving in the region of £116,000 and £145,000 over a four-year cycle (£29,000-£36,250 pa). However, further investigation and analysis would need to be conducted by officers to ensure assurance on these financial proposals. A detailed business case would need to be worked through if members sought. 

This report advises the Committee of its power to change its electoral scheme to whole council elections. Brentwood Borough Council operates an election scheme by thirds, this means a third of councillors are elected every year in a four-year cycle, with no election in the fourth year. Brentwood Borough Council have one seat up for election in 12 or 13 wards (depending on the year). If the council moved to whole council election, every seat would be elected every four years in all 15 wards.

In the year Brentwood Council implement Whole Council Elections there would be an additional £20,000 pressure. This is due to the Council would have budgeted for a ‘Third election’ at a cost of £75,000 as opposed to a ‘Whole Election’ which costs £95,000. Therefore, no saving would be realised until 2024. The risk of holding additional standalone By Elections, due to the longer gap in Local elections, would be greater. This would be an additional cost to the council, that would reduce any saving.

In order to resolve to change its electoral cycle, the Council must:

a)    Have taken reasonable steps to consult such persons as it thinks appropriate on the proposed change; Other authorities undertaking such a change have held an ‘online’ consultation for six weeks.

b)    If an Ordinary Council is not available, then convene an extraordinary meeting of Council to consider the proposed change;

c)    Have at least two-thirds of those voting at the extraordinary meeting of Council vote in favour of the proposed change; and

d)    Ensure that the year for the first ordinary whole council election is specified in the resolution. This cannot be the same year(s) as whole council elections for the County Council. The Localism Act 2011 states: ‘a district (Borough) election for which there is a county council may not hold an election in a county-council elections year.

Cllr Tumbridge informed the committee this was an information only item and requested members to note the following:

• That group leaders consult with their groups to gauge opinion as to how they wish to proceed and to report back to Chair of PRED as to whether a further item is required for decision.

Reasons for Recommendation

That the Council considers whole council elections for Brentwood Borough Council and whether to proceed to a detailed financial business case on the change to be proposed at a later committee.