Date set for regional assembly ballot
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has announced that ballots on the establishment of northern regional assemblies will be held on November 4th.
Voters in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and the Humber will be asked to decide whether they want a regional assembly and, if so, vote on a choice of reorganisation options for the existing local government structure.
This date, and the calling of the referendums, will be debated in both the House of Lords and House of Commons for approval. The Commons will consider the plans on 21st July, with a vote likely.
The Government is also planning to introduce a draft Bill giving more details on the powers of an elected regional assembly before the Parliamentary recess on July 22nd.
The elections will take place by postal ballot, despite the concerns raised about some of the all-postal ballot areas in the recent local elections.
Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford said: “People in the three Northern regions now know that in November they should have a historic opportunity to change the way their region is governed. Following on from successful devolution in Scotland, Wales and London, it is now the time for the Northern regions to have a say.”
The second part of the ballot paper will ask voters to chose between two options of how the local government below the regional level should be reformed. The Government believes that there should only be one layer of government below the regional level.
Nick Raynsford added: “For the first time local people will be given a direct voice in a referendum on the structure of local government. Unlike previous local government re-organisations, which were imposed by central government, local communities will be given an opportunity to say which option they prefer on November 4th.”
The Government anticipates its awareness raising Your Say campaign continuing until four weeks before the ballot papers are sent out, then the Electoral Commission will decide which Yes and No campaign organisations are entitled to grants and other benefits to fight their cause.
The North West Says No campaign has already been sharply critical of the Government’s Your Say campaign. It has accused Mr Prescott of wasting £5 million in taxpayers’ money on a “propaganda campaign”.
It does not accept that Your Say is an awareness raising campaign, claiming instead it is a Yes campaign, “which masquerades as being neutral”.
