POLlING cards were on the agenda at a Bude-Stratton Town Council meeting recently, with councillors discussing the pros and cons of using them in the next election.

During the most recent election, held on June 27, the town council opted not to use polling cards.Following that election Cllr Robert Uhlig (Lib Dem) was elected onto the council.

Bude-Stratton Town Council was seemingly split over the matter, at the full council meeting on July 4, with some deterred by the additional cost it would be to the council. Others justified the cost, to get more people involved in the electoral process.

Cllr Peter Moores provided the council with a figure. He said: “The estimated cost to have polling cards for a Bude election would be in the region of £3,000. Those that would vote are going to anyway. I don’t see the point.”

Recently elected Cllr Robert Uhlig said he was able to take advantage of the lack of polling cards and it had given him a distinctive edge over the other candidates.

He said: “I took advantage, the issues without polling reminders was an advantage to me.

“Many people didn’t think an election was taking place.

“One third of people I knocked on were of a democratic deficit.

“Some of the people I spoke to were dismayed as not everyone on the council had been elected — so it can’t be entirely democratic.

“I think the cost, 50 pence per card, I don’t know the budget, but I think it would be quite minor. Especially as it is the key part of the process.”

Chair of the meeting, mayor of Bude Cllr Bob Willingham wanted to remind Cllr Uhlig the reason an election hadn’t taken place for the current council. He said: “In all fairness, when the new council started only 12 put their names down, meaning there weren’t enough for the spaces available.

“Everyone had an opportunity to, therefore this is a democratic process and the councillors were elected unopposed.”

Cllr Tony Gibbs was concerned about the image of the council being tarnished by running elections without the public’s knowledge. He said: “The perception is that we aren’t being totally honest.

“The normal process you will get a polling card, the process for election is the same regardless, you can argue the cost.”

However, Cllr Moores was more concerned over the increased cost this would have on the residents of Bude. He said: “I am not so concerned about perception. This would be an extra half a percent on council tax for people each year.”

Cllr Peter La Broy said: “I am delighted there were enough entries for the recent election.

“I would like to have all the pubic engaged, if we will have to increase the precept then we should do that!”

Cllr Simon Browning emphasised to the council how the limited numbers were a ‘wake up call’.

He said: “We were far from the 18 needed. It should have been a wake up call to the council that we are not quite doing things openly enough, take the Ivor Potter incident for example.

“Hopefully we are taking the right steps and doing everything we can.”

Cllr Frank Partridge reminded the council that they have been open to the public and had offered drop-in sessions for people to come and talk freely. He explained: “We encouraged people to come and see us. The point that we don’t try is wrong. We have sat there for hours and only one person turned up.”

Cllr Browning said: “We can’t be satisfied we have to keep trying.”

It was brought to the attention to the council that there could potentially be 12 new by-elections.

Cllr Willingham said: “There could even be two more by the end of the calendar year.

“Keith and I started budgeting and allowed for a yearly election.”

The town council resolved the review of using polling cards and proposed to use them at the next election. Five councillors voted against the proposed and 11 voted in favour.