Validation of EU Referendum Postal Votes for Portsmouth City Council
Dear Sir,
I wish to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Act, 2000:
Could you please provide the following information for the voting area known as Portsmouth City Council in respect of postal voting in the EU Referendum held on 23rd June 2016
Overseas voting entitlement
a) The TOTAL number of registered overseas voters;
b) The number of overseas voters who have permanent postal vote set up;
c) The number of overseas voters who registered a postal vote specifically for the above referendum ;
d) The number of overseas voters who have a periodic postal vote set up, that entitled them to vote in the above named referendum;
e) The number of overseas voters who had named a proxy to vote on their behalf in the above named referendum;
Number of votes issued and returned:
a) The TOTAL number of postal votes issued;
b The TOTAL number of postal votes returned;
c) The TOTAL number of postal votes rejected;
d) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes issued;
e) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes returned;
f) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes rejected;
In respect of verification of postal votes, could you please confirm what method (or methods) were used to verify the validity of the completed postal vote:
a) Visual comparison of both original documents;
b) Visual comparison where one or more of the comparison documents was a scanned image;
c) Use of automated recognition software and if this method was employed, the name of the software used;
d) Other form of verification (please detail)
Could you please provide the following in electronic format, preferably as a device-independent a plain text document.
Yours faithfully,
Jason Smith
Information Governance
Community & Communications Services
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Telephone: 023 9268 8482
Reference: FOI2016/1236
Dear Mr Smith
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000 - INFORMATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Thank you for your request for information received on 6th October 2016.
Your request is being considered and, subject to the points made below,
you will receive the information requested as promptly as possible within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days as defined by the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.
If we need to obtain more information from you in order to understand what
information you require, we will contact you. If this is the case, the 20
days time limit will not commence until your request has been clarified.
The Act defines a number of exemptions that may prevent release of certain
information. The City Council will consider whether any of these
exemptions apply and, where required by the Act, whether it is in the
public interest to release the information. If we have to make a public
interest test, the 20 day time limit might be extended. We will inform you
if the time scale has to be extended and if any information is withheld
and of your rights of appeal.
The City Council would like to make you aware that disclosure of
information obtained through FOIA is a disclosure into the public domain.
The City Council’s standard approach is to provide the information in the
form in which we hold it. If you require alternative formats, e.g. audio,
large print, etc. or a different language, please let me know and we will
provide it if reasonably practicable to do so. If your request is a
question and we do not hold the answer in recorded form we will try and
provide an answer where we are able unless it requires the creation of new
information.
There may be a fee payable for this information request and we will send
you a Fees Notice if this is the case. Any fee must be paid before the
request is provided. The time between the issue of the Fees Notice and
receipt of payment is excluded from the calculation of the 20 working day
time limit.
Any personal information you provide in relation to this request will only
be used for the purposes of processing your request for information.
If you have any queries or concerns then please contact the Corporate
Information Governance Officer at Portsmouth City Council, Civic Offices,
Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AL, telephone 023 9268 8482,
e-mail [1][email address].
Yours sincerely
Wendy Burton
FOI Co-ordinator
[1]FOI image
Customer, Community and Democratic Services
Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AL
Telephone: 023 9268 8482
Fax: 023 9284 1327
Reference: FOI/2016/1236
Dear Mr Jason Smith
INFORMATION REQUEST - Validation of EU Referendum Postal Votes for
Portsmouth City Council
Thank you for your request for information received on Friday 7 October
2016, which was considered under the Freedom of Information Act.
In accordance with the Act, Portsmouth City council confirms that it holds
the information.
Your request
I wish to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Act,
2000:
Could you please provide the following information for the voting area
known as Portsmouth City Council in respect of postal voting in the EU
Referendum held on 23rd June 2016
Overseas voting entitlement
a) The TOTAL number of registered overseas voters;
b) The number of overseas voters who have permanent postal vote set up;
c) The number of overseas voters who registered a postal vote specifically
for the above referendum ;
d) The number of overseas voters who have a periodic postal vote set up,
that entitled them to vote in the above named referendum;
e) The number of overseas voters who had named a proxy to vote on their
behalf in the above named referendum;
Number of votes issued and returned:
a) The TOTAL number of postal votes issued;
b The TOTAL number of postal votes returned;
c) The TOTAL number of postal votes rejected;
d) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes issued;
e) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes returned;
f) The number of OVERSEAS postal votes rejected;
In respect of verification of postal votes, could you please confirm what
method (or methods) were used to verify the validity of the completed
postal vote:
a) Visual comparison of both original documents;
b) Visual comparison where one or more of the comparison documents was a
scanned image;
c) Use of automated recognition software and if this method was employed,
the name of the software used;
d) Other form of verification (please detail) Could you please provide the
following in electronic format, preferably as a device-independent a plain
text document.
Our response
Please see the document attached
You have the right to appeal against this decision or to complain about
our treatment of your request. If you wish to do so, please set out in
writing your grounds of complaint and send to the Corporate Information
Governance Officer at Portsmouth City Council, Civic Offices, Guildhall
Square, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2AL, telephone 023 9268 8482, e-mail
[2][email address].
Should you be dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaints decision you
may wish to follow the Portsmouth City Council’s Compliments and
Complaints procedure which can be found on the Portsmouth City Council
website or by contacting the Civic Offices.
Once these processes have been exhausted you have a further right of
appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
United Kingdom
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
[3]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Yours sincerely
Rachel-Marie Wilson
Corporate Complaints and FOI Officer
Play the Portsmouth Lottery, 60p from every £1 ticket goes to good causes and there's a £25k prize jackpot. It's a win win.
First draw 5 November www.portsmouthlottery.co.uk
References
Visible links
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now