Councillor Hebb introduced the report which provided members with background information to enable them to make a decision on the recommendation received from the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee that Full Council consider consulting with the communities in Thurrock on the potential changes to the Council’s electoral arrangements.

Councillor Hebb pointed out an error in the report on page 37, paragraph 2.8, fourth line down, third word in which it should have said country rather than borough.

Councillor Hebb stated that residents did not feel that their votes counted and made enough of a difference to their lives. He stated that members were close enough to the electorates to know that and that it was time to potentially rectify this. In the past the debate on elections and the future of elections had taken place within the four walls of the Council Chamber. It was now the intention to take the question of electoral reform to the heart of the community to give all residents the opportunity to have their say.

The report proposed that the Council changed its electoral cycle and opt for a whole council election taking place four-yearly, rather than by the current method of elections by thirds and recommended that a public consultation be undertaken before any final decision can be made.

Councillor Hebb stated that this consultation exercise was key and the need to give residents the opportunity to respond. It was proposed that the consultation be carried out using:

•           Social media

•           Letters

•           Reference Point on the Council website

•           Forums

•           Consultations with elected members and local members of parliament

•           Press releases

In early 2017 a hard copy format of the consultation would be sent out as a reminder to all residents with Council Tax notices.

Councillor Duffin stated that he could not see any point or benefit from the four-yearly elections and that a consultation would not work. Councillor Duffin suggested that elections should be left as they currently were.

Councillor Spillman agreed with Councillor Duffin and asked Councillor Hebb how much the consultation would cost. At present there was a real connection between the elected candidates and residents due to the yearly nature of elections and did not see any point or benefit of the consultation.

Councillor G Rice stated that from previous experience of four-yearly terms at Essex County Council members ‘go to sleep’ and totally disconnect with the public. The public should be able to vote year by year and hold councillors to account.

Councillor J Kent stated that he would support the consultation going ahead and give the public the opportunity to speak but had concerns that the key motivator for changing to four-yearly elections was to save money and democracy should not be done on the cheap.

Councillor Aker stated that there should be more opportunities for residents to get involved and engage more in the voting process but believed the costings of the consultations would be far greater than the projected savings and would not be supporting the recommendations.

Councillor Hamilton believed that members would become disconnected with the public if the four-yearly term were to go ahead.

Councillor Watkins stated he supported the consultation process at this stage as it was up to residents to decide how members get elected.

Councillor V Holloway stated that she supported the recommendation in the report which had been received from an overview and scrutiny committee and that the engagement with residents should continue. Councillor V Holloway asked Councillor Hebb how many responders would be required to make the consultation a valid sample before this was discussed next time.

Councillor Snell stated that he had a different opinion to the rest of the members of his party on this item and that he would vote in favour for the recommendation to give residents an opportunity to speak and that a figure be agreed that could be accepted as a representative sample for responses.

Councillor Gledhill agreed that residents should be given the opportunity to have their say and would be supporting the recommendations.

Councillor Gerrish stated that he would be willing to back the recommendations in respect of the consultation but had concerns over the cost of the consultation. To ensure that the wording in the recommendation was neutral he felt that a valid sample, 33 per cent, could be used as a turn out figure.

Councillor B Rice stated she would not be supporting the recommendations.

Councillor Kerin stated that he agreed with the consultation and debate should be undertaken when feedback was available.

Councillor Jones stated that from experience consultations do not get a good response rate and would not be supporting this recommendation.

Councillor Hebb summed up from his report and thanked those members who agreed that residents should have a say. Councillor Hebb stated that a cross party discussion would need to take place before a final decision and from an operational point of view this discussion had to be informed  by feedback from the consultation. The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee could look at the wording of the recommendation relating to the consultation and the costs of consultation. In addition the consultation would be digitalised and hard copies would be sent out with Council Tax notices.

The Mayor called a vote on the report recommendation:

For                   :           31

Against            :           15

The Mayor declared the recommendation be carried.

RESOLVED

That a public consultation exercise be undertaken in accordance with the statutory requirements relating to the proposals to change the cycle of electing councillors to Thurrock Borough Council from elections by thirds to whole-Council elections, with effect from May 2018.