Local elections are disruptive for local business

By Mik Barton on Apr 17, 08 02:48 PM in

Has anyone worked out just how much the local elections will be costing Birmingham businesses?

Twice in two weeks many thousands of people will need to take time off or arrange (and pay for) childcare because schools are closed. Just think of the disruption that means for working parents and the companies that employ them.

The Post recently ran a story about the impact of a teachers' strike on West Midlands business. Surely it's time for business to take a stand against the totally unnecessary disruption caused by using local schools as polling stations.

How much space do you need for four polling booths and a couple of trestle tables for goodness sake?

When I first voted in my hometown I remember the polling station was in a neighbour's garage.

Surely the election officers can find a good range of suitable venues without having to give kids a day off school? There's a perfectly good Scout Hut standing empty just across the road from my children's school for example.

Comments (4)

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4 Comments

working parents said:

Yes,Twice in two weeks many thousands of people will need to take time off or arrange childcare because schools are closed.

April 18, 2008 6:13 AM

David Bailey said:

or maybe we could vote at the weekend like in Italy... turnout there is regularly over 80%. Why have elections on a Thursday anyway? Just because it's 'tradition'?

April 18, 2008 1:53 PM

Rob Taylor said:

Schools are used because they are cheap -it only costs the council about £80 for a school whereas a commercially hired hall (i.e. anything else) can cost in the region of £200 and higher.

Schools are generally closed by the school for child protection reasons.

Schools are also often disabled access compliant. There are standards of working environment for poll staff that need to be met - a garage would not be suitable as that is effectively outdoors.

It is possible to use schools without closing them - usually when there is a separately accessible room. Would you be comfortable with having anyone from the local area being able to wander through your child's school.

Voting on the weekend - It costs nearly £200 per member of poll staff already. It would cost a lot more at the weekend in staff costs (not just poll staff, but also back office staff). Halls are more likely to be used.

If you look at the legislation, you will see that elections can be held any day apart from the so called dies non - the weekends + bank holidays.

I'd like to see Mr Barton find a place at the same cost as the school!

May 6, 2008 7:50 AM

Mik Barton said:

Hi Rob

I started my post with the question: "has anyone worked out how much the local elections will be costing Birmingham business?"

It may cost the elections office just £80 to hire a school for a day, but what's the price of extra childcare for several hundred families or lost production and disruption for business?

May 6, 2008 11:10 AM