Back to booths to improve election turn-outs

Ideas on the drawing board include electronic polling stations, weekend elections and voting booths in supermarkets.

The move comes in the same week it was revealed in a nationwide poll that just 13 per cent of people in the North West regularly vote in council elections.

Record low turnouts at the last council elections in East Lancashire have also set alarm bells ringing.

A national campaign has also been launched by the influential Local Government Association, the organisers of the poll.

And council officials have been told to look at ways of improving interest in local government elections.

Blackburn with Darwen Council will be talking to voters and college students with the aim of discovering how they would like to see the current system changed.

And school children from across Burnley are being invited to the town hall to quiz the Mayor Coun Eric Selby, on local democracy. Pendle Council have already started a series of schemes aimed at improving election turnout.

Major projects include the creation of a citizens panel and wide ranging local surveys on council services.

A string of question and answer sessions are being organised in the Ribble Valley, along with a democracy roadshow.

Residents in Longridge will also be given the chance to meet housing committee councillors to discuss improvement plans for their area.

Sir Jeremy Beecham, chairman of the LGA, has welcomed the campaign.

He said: "Improving turnout for local elections is important - the current average of 40 per cent is unacceptably low.

"However, changing the way people vote may not be enough. Local authorities must be able to show their communities they can make a difference.

"To do this they need greater financial autonomy - an end to capping and restoration of the business rate."

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