Polling cards fiasco

The West Midlands Regional Treasurer, Philip Lancaster, is the UKIP candidate in the Heath Ward in a by-election taking place in Uttoxeter, the election is today, Thursday 16th April.

Much to his dismay, as well as those of the other candidates standing, he only discovered on the 14th April, when he chased up the elections office about the fact he and his wife, Christine, had not received their polling cards that he discovered the person in charge of the election for the Uttoxeter Parish Council had made the decision not to deliver polling cards in order to save money. This is the normal method for notifying the electorate of an election.

None of the candidates are at all happy with this, especially as they were not given prior notice that there would be no polling cards and all are worried that there will be an appallingly low turnout.

Philip Lancaster, who has been a UKIP activist for many years said that he was extremely angry with this penny pinching by Uttoxeter Parish Council, especially when the Government are worried about the lack of voter turnout. "These people are selling off Council owned land behind the Burton-on-Trent Council House, without permission or consultation with the electorate. This is also currently a big issue in the area and now they do this." he said. Burton-on-Trent is the centre for the areas administration which also covers Uttoxeter.