Our Electoral Registration Officer, Chief Executive Mark Williams, leads councillors to believe that he was summoned to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Voter Engagement to give them his personal words of wisdom, such is the efficiency with which he approaches his job – tearing up the rule book here, capturing telephone users there.  All in the name of saving us all money (if I lived in South Somerset where he follows a different path should I be begging him to tear up the rule book there too)?

And, why then, did he not blow his trumpet to his councillors when he was given the invitation rather than attempting to explain why he had kept it secret from them?  It would be a Press Officer’s Dream Press Release surely?  His excuse was that it is an entirely separate role and nothing to do with them.

He also believes he deserves praise for his “efficiency” in not sending out door-to-door canvassers to the more than 3,000 homes as yet unregistered, preferring instead telephone and internet methods of persuasion.

Just two small points:  to telephone someone who has not registered, you need their telephone number – how do you get it if they are under the radar or have private mobile phones only?  And what do you do if they are in one of the many homes in East Devon which does not have an internet service – something he admitted is at a lower level than average in the district?

Still, problem solved, in spite of this “efficiency” 25 canvassers will be trecking the wilds of East Devon shortly tracking down the “Refuseniks” (Mr Williams’ own word for those not yet registered).

Might we see a BBC adventure programme on how these intrepid explorers cross the wilds of the Blackdown Hills and the concrete jungle of Cranbrook?

Oh, and who is he responsible to in this role?  He says he is responsible to the Chief Executive (himself) yet in Parliament he corrected himself and said “I suppose councillors”.  Best get that straight, Mr Williams and tell us:  is the role and its performance within the remit of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or is it not?

A one word answer, yes or no, will do.