A CAMPAIGN to punish residents for refusing to vote has been launched by a Rossendale councillor.

This year’s 35 per cent turnout by Valley voters has been described as “disgraceful” by Coun Alan Neal, who is now urging government officials to consider converting to the Australian system – where residents are fined for not voting.

The Community First representative thinks the time is right to overhaul the election set up in Rossendale and across the UK.

Coun Alan Neal said: “At the end of the day a great number of people gave up not only their lives in two world wars but also a great number gave up their freedom for all our benefits, the very least we should do is go out to vote, we owe them that.”

“Do not get me wrong, it is great that 35 per cent went out to vote, but what about the other 65 per cent of the voters?

“To them I say: ‘Shame on you’. It is nothing short of disgraceful.”

Coun Tony Swain, leader of Rossendale Borough Council, said: “I think we should be doing everything we can to encourage people to vote.

“However, it is down to the electoral commission to deal with this aspect of the election and not myself or Coun Alan Neal.

“I also think postal voting is a policy that we should continue to adopt to encourage people to cast a vote.”

Belgium, Brazil and Ecuador all have a compulsory voting system, though Venezuela and the Netherlands abolished the scheme towards the end of the 20th Century.

Coun Neal added: “We now need to make the voting system in the UK mandatory with a fixed fine of say £500 as a minimum like they do in Australia where residents queue up to vote.

“I believe it is time for change and for people to stand up and be counted.”

He has asked for the matter to feature on Whitworth Town Council’s July agenda.