The Home Office has disclosed that it will cost at least £3.7m to hold a byelection next month to fill the vacancy triggered by the sudden death of Bob Jones, the first West Midlands police and crime commissioner. The new police minister, Mike Penning, has told MPs that 1,208 polling stations across the West Midlands will need to be in operation on 21 August for the byelection to take place. The Home Office also intends to spend £700,000 ensuring that a pamphlet is sent to every household in the region publicising the candidates after criticism from the Electoral Commission about lack of public awareness when the first police commissioners were elected in November 2012. Advertisement The poll will go ahead despite fears that the turnout in the middle of August will set a new apathy record for an election. In November 2012, the turnout in the West Midlands, the largest police force area where elections were held, was only 12%. The mid-summer poll has been triggered by the legislation that insists that a byelection be held within 35 working days of an incumbents death. There was much anger that the byelection process was triggered even before Joness funeral had taken place. Labour last week selected David Jamieson, a former transport minister and former MP for Plymouth Devonport who recently lost his seat on Solihull council, as its official candidate. Yvonne Mosquito, Joness deputy, and who is the acting West Midlands PCC, is to stand as Jamiesons deputy. The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Ukip have yet to select candidates. Labours policing spokesman, Jack Dromey, said: The new police minister has admitted the costs of a byelection will soar to £3.7m. It has also become clear that thousands may be robbed of their right to vote because of confusion over polling stations and postal voting. He added that the money could have put 158 police officers back on the beat. Read the feature on the Guardian website:
Posted on: Mon, 21 Jul 2014 12:35:01 +0000
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