If you are not yet registered to vote you can do this with a “one stop” registration direct with the Electoral Commission:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
With the swing to minority parties such as UKIP and to Independent candidates your vote could make all the difference to election results in East Devon.
Asks one commentator.
Well, there are several reasons and maybe you can think of others.
One is that our Local Plan relies on current data to set its targets. EDDC constantly tells us we need more houses. This data says that almost every part of East Devon may be losing population. The numbers dropping in each area is not explained by them moving to other parts of the district – so where are they going and why?
Another is that if it reflects people unwilling to join the electoral roll – what is the reason? Those who do not vote, when encouraged to do so often seem to vote for minority parties, si it might mean results are skewed towards the majority party if they are not encouraged to register. In a district where majority could be decided by a handful of votes this becomes important.
Finally, these could be people attempting to avoid council tax or second home owners – we need to be able to trace such people both for income and statistical purposes.
A 6% drop in one year is a big drop – it needs explanation. Maybe there is a simple one – either way we need to know.
This district responsive to tourism needs?
Tourism, what tourism? Now let’s talk instead about more industrial sheds and little boxes .. that’ what our district specialises in now.
In the years 2011, 2012 and 2013 (the 3 years after the last local elections) the number of electors hovered at just over 104,000 each of those years. In February 2014 it plummeted to around 98,000.
Where are all these missing electors taken from? Well, it turns out that in EVERY one of the 69 areas enumerated with the exception of Broadclyst, Clyst St Lawrence and Dalwood there were substantially fewer electors this year than in the previous year in every one – yes, in 66 out of 69 areas, there are fewer electors!
Broadclyst’s jump from 2,370 to 2,818 is understandable: it now includes Cranbrook. Dalwood increases from 341 to 349, Clyst Lawrence up from 56 to 59. EVERYWHERE ELSE FALLS! Some of the smaller places by only a few, bigger places substantially, though the percentages may show differences, of course.
For example, take the larger places. Axminster down from 5,028 to 4,707, Budleigh Salterton has dropped from 4,259 to 4,063, Exmouth has fallen from 25,890 to 23,831, Feniton down from 1,411 to 1,291, Ottery St Mary down from 6,652 to 6,298, Seaton down from 5,960 to 5,539, Sidmouth down from 11,964 to 10,957.
Then take some of the smaller places: Beer down from 1,087 to 995; Farringdon down from 283 to 263, Huxham down from 64 to 47, Newton Poppleford down from 1,717 to 1,626, Shute down from 495 to 471, Uplyme down from 1,383 to 1,281.
If each of these represents 2 electors per household, it means, at say an average of £1,000 council tax per household East Devon could be losing at least £3 million in council tax if the new total figure of electors for 2014 is wrong!
A more forensic calculation of all the figures to follow.
East Devon Watch 