Electoral registers

Wychavon District Council did not have the information requested.

Dear Wychavon District Council,

This is a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act.

From January 2018 to the day this request is processed, please provide a list of organisations and companies that have requested electoral registers and/or electoral register updates, overseas voters lists, and/or absent voters lists.

For each organisation/company, please provide details on what they requested and when they requested it. Please also indicate whether their requests were fulfilled.

I would like to receive this information in an electronic format. If you feel that a substantive response to this request is not possible within a reasonable time frame, I would be grateful if you could contact me and provide assistance as to how I can refine the request. If you need any clarification, please contact me. I look forward to receiving a response in 20 working days. Many thanks.

Yours faithfully,

Jenna Corderoy

Freedom Of Information, Wychavon District Council

Dear Jenna

I refer to your FOI request dated 29th January 2019 and apologise for the delay in getting back to you. Unfortunately our FOI Officer is currently off sick so we are behind with our responses.

The Registration of Electors is governed by the Representation of the People Act 1983 as amended. Under Section 8 (2A) of the Act in Wales, the council of every county or county borough shall appoint an officer of the council to be the registration officer for any constituency or part of a constituency coterminous with or situated in the area of the council. The chief executive is the appointed officer for the registration area of Denbighshire. Her appointment as Electoral Registration Officer is separate to her appointment as Chief Executive and, although appointed by the council, the Electoral Registration Officer’s responsibilities and duties are personal. An example of this is the register of electors is deemed to be the property of the Electoral Registration Officer not the local authority.

The Electoral Registration Officer does not carry out the duties on behalf of the local authority but in her own personal capacity. A list of public bodies and local authorities that are subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act is available in Schedule 1 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 does not list any person appointed under the Representation of the People Act 1983, thus the Electoral Registration Officer, Returning Officer or any other person appointed under the act are not subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

If you have any concerns with the way your request has been dealt with, please contact Meesha Patel, Legal Services Manager at Wychavon District Council in the first instance. If you remain dissatisfied following the outcome of the review, you then have a right of recourse to the Information Commissioner, who is the regulator for Freedom of Information.

Regards

Heather

Heather Peachey
Deputy Legal Services Manager
Direct Line:- 01386 565475

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