Returning officer mulls ban on use of council land for election posters

A local authority’s returning officer is to consider barring political groups and candidates in an election from using council owned land or equipment to put up posters.

Richard Partington, returning officer at Telford & Wrekin Council, has written to election agents, parish councils and leaders of all political groups to ascertain their views.

The local authority said: “Many other councils do not allow such political election material on their land and the issue came to the fore in this summer’s European elections in the borough, when a number of election posters on street furniture were damaged or de-faced, often with offensive symbols or language.”

The returning officer said: “I don’t think this is a problem that we have faced here in Telford and Wrekin before and it is a great shame that it happened. We have had a protocol in place that permitted election posters on council owned assets and this generally worked well.

“However, during the European Elections we received complaints and the council incurred costs immediately taking down posters that had offensive symbols or language on them. We also had some complaints about the proliferation of signs and that some were not taken down until long after the 14 day ‘grace’ period post-election.”

Partington said any changes would be implemented ahead of elections in May next year.