A councillor spoke of her "sadness" at election reforms she said she feared would stop people voting.
Cllr Nina Killen made the remarks during a Sefton Council meeting last night about a new law which will require people to bring ID when they vote.
Sefton Council’s election manager Neil Middlehurst said there were still "big gaps" in the details as secondary legislation is currently going through parliament.
READ MORE: DWP urging a million households to claim extra £65 a week
Addressing a meeting of the council’s overview and scrutiny committee at Southport Town Hall, Mr Middlehurst said: “I was hoping to give you chapter and verse on the Elections Act but there have been a number of ministerial changes recently.”
He said the main aspects of the law likely to be in place for next year’s local council elections would involve voter identification and accessibility of polling stations.
This means anyone voting in elections would need to provide identification at the polling station before they were allowed to cast their vote.
Mr Middleton said: "It has to be original but it doesn’t have to be in date", adding that there were still some questions as to what forms of ID will be acceptable.
He added: “This is going to come down to the people we put in polling stations. It's an issue in terms of recruitment and retention. We have a churn of around 40 per cent which when 400 people are employed for elections, that’s significant.
“There is a danger of people being local to the polling station and knowing the people who turn up and who they are, but officers can’t be lax about this.
“There is a lot of concern now and the clock is ticking away.”
Mr Middleton said studies carried out which suggested that between two and six per cent of the electorate would not have the ID required in order to vote. To address this issue, people will be able to apply for a certificate that would act in place of ID.
The new rules will also require local authorities to ensure that polling stations are accessible, something Mr Middleton said will add to an already pressing challenge of finding suitable places for polling stations.
He said: “We will have to find support for example around hearing loops and if we don’t have them at the stations, how will we mitigate this? We will need different signage and seating and we may need to provide screened off areas so people can remove face coverings in private. We just don’t have clear guidance yet.”
Funding is being provided for some of the additional expenses that will be involved and Mr Middleton said he was looking to strengthen the council’s election team ahead of the changes.
However, there is the potential for thousands of people in the borough requiring the new voter certificate with a “pinch point” as the deadline looms ahead of the election.
The presentation left several councillors expressing their anger at the legislation. Cllr Les Byron said he would “put a 10 pence bet” the rules would end up not coming into force because of the practical challenges involved.
Cllr Byron said: “Imagine Mrs Coffins digging in her handbag looking for ID, and then there’s an argument over whether she has is acceptable or not and in the meantime there are queues at the door with staff at risk of being abused.
“This thing is so riven with practical problems I wouldn’t be investing a lot of time in this, I’d put a 10 pence bet on this not going through.”
Mr Middleton pointed out that the law had already been given Royal Assent earlier this year and so has passed through parliament with just the details left to be worked out.
Cllr Killen said: “I feel sadness about this, just so sad because it’s going to suppress votes in so many ways. It’s a shocking piece of legislation.”
Liberal democrat councillor Simon Shaw said: “I have in my mind a number of elderly people who don’t have the necessary ID or might not open up letters about this.”
Cllr Byron added: “Every answer that has been given just gives me another 100 questions about this.”
Mr Middleton said he would provide further updates once more information came to light.
-
Get the top stories straight to your inbox by signing up to our what's on newsletter
READ NEXT:
Jermaine Pennant's abandoned mansion gutted by blaze weeks after fire destroyed home
Liverpool set for winter snow as forecasters share exact dates
Prison officers think 'helicopter will land and fly out' with drug lord Mr Big
Mum accused of 'stealing single cashew nut' from Lidl
'Foolish' dad who tried to smuggle 100,000 cigarettes through airport twice
