Local authority urges ministers to resolve poll hurdles

A city council has called on the Government to resolve a legal hurdle that could prevent it from holding a referendum on a proposed biomass plant at the same time as elections for a police commissioner.

Southampton had planned to hold a “preferendum” on the plant at the same time as the police commissioner poll in November, in a bid to save costs.

However, the commissioner poll has to be run under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2010, and not under electoral legislation.

Cllr Richard Williams, Southampton’s Leader, last month wrote to local government minister Grant Shapps, urging him to revise Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 and so allow the two votes to be run side-by-side.

The biomass plant is at the pre-planning stage. The local authority has voted to object to the application from developers Helius.

Cllr Williams said: “I am calling on the minister to personally secure his commitment to this course of action which will clearly not only benefit Southampton but the wider local authority community, both in relation to this year’s forthcoming election and police and crime commissioner elections in the future.”

Richard Ivory, Southampton’s head of legal services, said: “My understanding is that this could be achieved by the passing of secondary legislation or by derogation order, but I am conscious that time is against us unless this is undertaken by the Government very shortly.”

Philip Hoult