Agenda item

To consider a report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (copy enclosed) on the operation of the electronic voting system in the Council Chamber and the constitutional implications of changing the way in which it is used.

A report by the Head of Legal and Democratic Services (HLDS), on the operation of the electronic voting system in the Council Chamber and the constitutional implications of changing the way in which it is used, had been circulated with the papers for the meeting.

The Council’s Standing Orders set out the way in which voting takes place at meetings of the Council or it’s Committees and provide for voting to take place by a show of hands or affirmation of the meeting.  The majority of meetings were held in meeting rooms where there were no electronic voting facilities and only Full Council and Planning Committee regularly meet in the Council Chamber.

The electronic voting system in County Hall’s Chamber was used to produce quick, accurate numbers of Members and records the way that each Member casts their vote and those records are occasionally requested by Councillors, the press and members of the public.  The Council would be unlikely to release information of individual votes cast as the accuracy of the information could not be a guaranteed.  As the electronic voting system was only used to record the number of votes cast for, against or to abstain in respect of any matter to be decided at a meeting extra precautions would have to be in place to guarantee the accuracy of the record of votes allocated to named councillors.

The Democratic Services Manager confirmed that the present system could record how individual Members voted and possibly display the information on screen.  He highlighted the problems which could be encountered which included ensuring that Members never moved from an allocated seat, or that their voting card always moved with them, and that checks were undertaken when issuing voting cards to eliminate any possibility of errors. Councillors might also have to assume responsibility for ensuring they had the correct voting card allocated to them and as these measures were not needed to allow the voting system to accurately count the number of votes cast they had not been introduced and the electronic record of individual votes cast had been viewed as a by-product of the system; not a reliable record.  Additional precautions could be introduced if public access to the named voting records was agreed by Council, but this should not be retrospective as the accuracy of previously held data could not be guaranteed.

It was explained by the HLDS that there was a procedure in the Standing Orders for recording the way votes were cast, which involved each Councillor declaring how they were voting.  A recorded vote would be taken where one sixth of the Members present demand it, and the results of a recorded vote would be set out in the minutes of the relevant meeting.  He confirmed that the Standing Orders would need to be reviewed accordingly in the event of the introduction of an electronic voting system and, he stressed that procedures would need to be introduced to ensure that the Council could guarantee the accuracy of any information provided in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Members referred to the democratic process and the possible public perception of the Authority being unable to provide accurate information in respect of Member voting.  It was suggested that the provision of compulsory training for Members, to stress the importance of the voting system and procedures, could assist in addressing the problems highlighted. 

The Committee supported the suggestion but forward that prior to consideration of the introduction of the electronic voting system be referred to Council, the matter be referred to Group Leaders and all Members be made aware of any anomalies and the importance of the system. 

During the ensuing discussion it was agreed that the Head of Legal and Democratic Services undertake a review the Council’s Standing Orders, and the Democratic Services Manager provide a report in respect of Information Technology issues. 

RESOLVED – that:-

(a)          the Committee receive and note the contents of the report.

(b)          the introduction of the electronic voting system be referred to the Group Leaders prior to being presented to Council for consideration.

(c)          all Members be made aware of any anomalies and the importance of the system.

(d)          the Head of Legal and Democratic Services undertake a review the Council’s Standing Orders, and

(e)          the Democratic Services Manager provide a report in respect of Information Technology.