Category Archives: East Devon Electoral/Returning Officer

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13 Jan 2015

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East Devon Electoral/Returning Officer, EDDC, Independent Councillors

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EDDC Chief Exec Mark Williams will teach you to be a councillor

Oxymoron?

“BUDDING local politicians can find out more about what it takes to be a councillor in a series of roadshows being hosted by East Devon District Council.

The mini tour events will be hosted by the local authority’s returning officer Mark Williams, who is also its chief executive who will explain the procedure.

The events take place at Exmouth Town Hall on Tuesday, January 20, 6.30pm – 7.30pm; the Younghayes Centre, Cranbrook, Thursday, January 29, 5.30pm – 7pm; The Beehive, Honiton, Monday, February 2, 6.30pm – 7.30pm; Senior Citizens’ Centre Old Courthouse, Axminster Thursday, February 12, 6.30pm – 7.30pm.”

Beggars belief! The man who “lost” 6,000 potential voters, was instrumental in quashing investigation into the East Devon Business Forum and emasculated the Overview and Scrutiny Committee!

http://www.exeterexpressandecho.co.uk/Budding-local-politicians-invited-learn-takes/story-25848148-detail/story.html

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11 Nov 2014

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East Devon Electoral/Returning Officer, EDDC, Electoral Commission, Freedom of Information Act, Freedom of Information and EIA, Voting

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The missing 6,000 plus voters: Freedom of Information request uncovers worrying developments

It would appear that, far from carrying out telephone enquiries in preference to door-to-door canvassing, the East Devon Electoral Returning Officer (Mark Williams, also CEO of East Devon District Council) did no canvassing at all for several years. Also that the Electoral Commission was aware if this. Indeed, we have no idea what canvassing was done before 2011 because EROs reported on their own performance with no checks or balances at all until then!

What on earth is going on? Will we ever know – as the ERO himself is exempt from answering Freedom of Information requests and, when asked by the Parliamentary Committee who his boss was he said “No-one”. Only the fact that the Electoral Commission IS expected to comply with the Freedom of Information Act revealed the true situation.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/electoral_registration_is_teleph

It would also seem clear that laws may have been broken but, if that is the case, that there will be no sanction as (thanks to EDA and Mr Freeman) at least 28 people are now out in the community correcting a situation that could have affected the outcome of recent European elections when the missing voters might have changed the result.

It should be noted that Mr Williams has refused to answer questions put to him by local residents on this matter because he says he is “too busy” dealing with the current situation.

It seems that, as canvassing is now being done , the Electoral Commission is happy to sweep the past under an already very dusty carpet.