VOTING

Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
 

Detectives are investigating allegations of electoral fraud. Four allegations of fraudulent election activities in the Normanton ward are under investigation after being referred to the police by the council's returning officer, Michael Foote. It is understood that there has been at least one allegation that votes have been cast by third parties rather than by the electors themselves.

The latest complaint to be received by Mr Foote alleges that a vote has been cast despite the elector concerned having been in India throughout the voting period. Mr Foote said, "I have no way of knowing whether this person has been out of the country or not, and the police will investigate. There is an arrangement that where there has been any accusation of fraud it is referred to the police for investigation."

Mr Foote added that the fraud allegations would not affect the count. He said, "It doesn't affect it at all. If we declare the councillors on the night then that's binding and effective. If it transpires later that there was fraud on a large scale then it is up to the victim to make a petition to the election court and ask for a rerun. There would have to be evidence that there have been so many votes cast illegally that the result would otherwise have been different."

One of the allegations of electoral fraud in the Derby City Council elections has been dismissed by police. Detective Inspector Pat Parry, of Derbyshire police, said, "We have received four allegations in the Pear Tree and Normanton area, one of which has now been reconciled and found not to be an electoral fraud. The police have a major aim of making sure this is a fair election and will rigorously investigate any reports." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph)

The result of the June 2004 local election left 24 Labour councillors and 25 councillors in the Lib Dem/Tory alliance, leaving the UKIP to tip the balance of power after Frank Leeming won the party's first seat on the council, in Boulton ward. Mr Leeming can keep the Lib Dem/Tory alliance in control by siding with them, or he can restore Labour control.

This poses the question, how relevant to the running of the city's affairs can a party be when it funnels all its efforts into issues of nationalism? Mr Leeming said he was 'fed-up with spin and lies from New Labour', wants the Riverlights project cancelled and a review of the Quad Arts Centre. "I also want to support a party that can end binge drinking in the city and repair the pavements near my home," he said.

The leaders of the Labour and Lib Dem/Tory alliance groups have both claimed that what Mr Leeming wants is similar to their own aspirations. This then begs the question, if that's the case, why haven't we got a 51-strong alliance of like-minded councillors running Derby, and addressing the problem of Mr Leeming's pavements?

The UK Independence Party (UKIP) proposed an all-party cabinet to run Derby City Council but this was rejected by the city's main political groups. UKIP offered the other parties the chance of forming a nine-member cabinet consisting of four Labour councillors, four councillors from the Lib Dem/Tory alliance and Mr Leeming.

He said, "I want this city to go forward not for party political gain, but for the benefit of the people. I'm bitterly disappointed. I thought Labour would jump at the chance to get four seats on the cabinet. I think they've slipped up. I want the people to know exactly what we've offered. I think the parties are all just being greedy."

The council are always reminding us of their commitment to democracy. For almost five years, all the major decisions that affect Derby have been made by a cabinet which has done its deliberating behind closed doors with little or no opportunity for public debate.

Chris Williamson, the leader of the Labour group said, "I think superficially it looks quite an attractive proposal but I think when you scratch the surface a little bit it would not be workable. You would have four political parties all with diametrically opposed views and I think it would be very difficult to get any consistent decision making."

Labour prefers to have no seats on the cabinet to the four suggested by UKIP. And council leader Maurice Burgess, who heads the Lib Dem/Tory alliance, is not keen to reduce his own party's representation on the cabinet. Both sides have been given an ideal opportunity to unite for the common good of the city, but of course, we know that will not happen.

Labour's Lisa Higginbottom won the Mackworth seat, giving the party 25 councillors. However, as the Tory/Liberal Democrat alliance also boasts the same number of city council seats, the situation means UKIP councillor Frank Leeming could hold sway on some crucial votes.

Labour leader Chris Williamson said, "We've been in touch with Frank Leeming and pointed up areas where he and the UKIP party have expressed concern. I think it would be in the best interests of the city for Labour to be given the opportunity to take control of the cabinet."

Conservative leader Philip Hickson responded, "We've heard the usual knockabout stuff from Councillor Williamson, which bears little reality to the truth as usual. What we need is stability to restore the proper relationship between councillors and council officers."

He added, "It's clear the fringe parties took away votes which might have been given to the Conservatives." A classic case of 'sour grapes' and maybe it's because of this type of attitude that these people DID vote for other parties.