There could be fewer borough elections in Wokingham borough.
Next week the council’s community and corporate overview and scrutiny committee is intending to discuss the money-saving measure in what is being described as a: “bid [to] address the budget deficit for running borough elections annually in every ward (apart from one fallow year).
“The costs include staffing (polling station and count), hire of polling stations, printing, postage, postal vote administration.”
Notes for the meeting say the total cost of running annual borough elections is about £300,000.
“Following the local government boundary commission’s review in 2023/24, each annual election covers all 18 wards in the borough.
“Historically when borough election polling dates and national election polling dates coincide, the borough council has benefited from funding provided by the government for national elections.
“However, this has not happened in recent years.
“Insufficient funding to run borough elections.
“Running elections is a statutory responsibility and the consequences of unsuccessful delivery are significant.
“There is no external funding for borough elections. However bids are made regularly to the government to cover the additional costs introduced by the Elections Act 2022 changes.
“However these only cover the marginal additional costs associated with the Elections Act, and not the core costs of administering the borough elections.”
A spokesperson for Wokingham borough council told Wokingham Today: “We don’t comment on agenda items at upcoming meetings.”
The meeting is set to take place at Shute End on Tuesday, December 216.
