BLOG: Local election changes outlined by Returning Officer Theresa Grant

This year’s local elections on Thursday 4 May in Liverpool are the most complex in memory. Interim Chief Executive and Returning Officer Theresa Grant explains more.

We’ve been working hard over the last few months preparing for the local elections in Liverpool, in which 330,000 people are eligible to go to the polls.

This year there are a number of key changes which are making it more challenging than usual. Hopefully you will have read the letter in your Council Tax bill, clocked our social media posts, or noticed the advertisements on digital screens across the city with all of the details. You might also have seen a leaflet that was delivered with your poll card.

The first change is that the electoral ward map of the city has been completely redrawn, following a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission. In essence it means more wards – 64 rather than the previous 30 – and a slight reduction in Councillors, down to 85 from 90.

For you as a voter it means that the name of your ward will most likely have changed and you may have to go to a different polling station. Please check your polling card before heading out of the door. We’ve included a map of where your polling station is located on the polling card. You can also use a ‘polling station look up’ on our website: https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/voting-and-elections/polling-stations/

In addition, the Government has passed new legislation which requires you to take photo ID to the polling station. Valid ID includes your passport, driving licence, a blue badge or an older person’s bus pass (although it must state it is funded by HM Government, rather than the local card). All of the details are on back of your poll card, or you can see a full list here: https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/voting-and-elections/voter-id-at-polling-stations/.  

You may need to allow extra time at the polling station because of the additional checks, and we would ask everyone to be patient and treat our polling station staff with respect.

Finally, the model of governance in Liverpool is changing and we will no longer have a Mayor chosen by the electorate of the city. Instead, we are moving to a Leader and Cabinet model in which a Councillor from the largest party on the Council will be elected by members of the group following the elections.

We’ll be counting the ballot papers and declaring the results on Friday 5 May – please follow our Twitter feed @lpoolcouncil or liverpool.gov.uk/elections for the latest updates.

We’ve a lot more information about the elections on our website: liverpool.gov.uk/elections.