News
02/02/2010
General election night saved but count battle continues
Batley and Spen MP Mike Wood has welcomed news that the general election counts in Kirklees will be held immediately after polls close on polling day, rather than the following day.
But Mr Wood is concerned that Kirklees now plans to hold all four Kirklees general election counts in Huddersfield.
Mr Wood organised a campaign involving candidates from the three main parties in all four of Kirklees's parliamentary seats to save general election night.
Kirklees Council was considering holding the counting of ballot papers on the day after the general election rather than straight after polls close, as has long been the custom. Officers have since backtracked on this suggestion.
Mike Wood said: "After initial resistance I am delighted Kirklees has conceded and agreed to hold the election count straight after polls close on election day as is the tradition. This is going to be a close election nationally and people will want to know their local results sooner rather than later.
"But the decision to hold all the counts in Huddersfield is a bitter disappointment and another example of how the democratic process is being eroded and taken further and further away from the public. I hope officers can be convinced to look at this again and will change their minds, as they did with the timing of the count."
Batley and Spen's most recent Parliamentary counts have been held at the town hall in Cleckheaton.
The original letter to Kirklees Council over when the count was held was supported by the following prospective parliamentary candidates: Debbie Abrahams - Labour PPC - Colne Valley; James Blanchard - Lib Dem PPC - Huddesfield; Shahid Malik MP - Labour PPC - Dewsbury; Jason McCartney - Conservative PPC - Colne Valley; Barry Sheerman MP - Labour PPC - Huddersfield; Janice Small - Conservative PPC - Batley and Spen; Nicola Turner - Lib Dem PPC - Colne Valley; Mike Wood - Labour PPC - Batley and Spen.
