Town Council Vacancy - Former Councillor Roger Walker Following the recent resignation of Cllr Roger Walker from the Saint Anne's On The Sea Town Council, a vacancy has arisen in the Fairhaven ward - and on 22 January, there will be an election for the good people of Fairhaven to choose a new Town Councillor to represent their views.

At the present time, election papers are available at Fylde Town Hall (FBC run the election for the Town Council), where anyone interested - and meeting a few minor qualifications (like not being certified insane and so on) - can have their name added to a list of people who'd like to stand for election to the Town Council.

The full timetable, nomination packs and Candidates Guide can be downloaded from the FBC website

Before the last Borough and Town elections, the Fylde Civic Awareness Group ran a series of seminars about how to stand for election to a council and if you're wondering about standing, and want an informal chat about it, they might be a good place to start.

The timetable runs something like this.

12th December, FBC will publish the election notice
Anyone wanting to stand needs to submit their nomination paper to Fylde Town Hall between 15 December and noon on 22nd December
And on 29th December the names of the possible candidates will be submitted.
After that, anyone wishing to withdraw, must do so by 30th December.

Presuming more than one person stands for election, the poll will be on Thursday 22 January at King Edward VII School, Fairhaven between 7:00am and 10:00pm.

counterbalance knows of three people who are seriously considering standing at the moment, but to be fair to all, we're not going to speculate about names at this stage.

We will look at the runners and riders once the list is declared on 29th December or a bit before if we get an early wind after the closing date for nominations.

One thing that seems to be on the cards (or rather not on them) is that we understand the Town Council is considering not issuing Polling Cards to electors in Fairhaven Ward.

We understand this is a move to save something in the order of £500.

Polling cards are those postcard looking things that come and tell you your voter number, where the polling station is, and what times its open etc.

For most people who vote, polling cards act as a reminder to go and vote on the right day. Typically they hang around at home for a week or so before the date, then on the day, you take it along to the polling station and give it in there so the poll clerk knows who you are.

We think its a mistake and a false economy not to have poll cards.

THE most important thing about any elected body is to encourage those who are eligible to actually take part in the election. It is never a waste of money to help your electorate to participate in their democratic right.

There will be people who don't even know there will be an election if no poll cards are issued. There will be people who think they can't go and vote if they don't have a polling card. There will also be people who forget to vote if they don't have the polling card to remind them.

We hope the Town Council will decide to issue poll cards to Fairhaven's electors.

St Annes has roughly 25,000 residents and the cost is reported to be around £500. That's 2p a head.

Not an excessive price to help democracy to flourish.

Slightly mischievously, but mostly humorously, we can't help wondering if there is any risk of some disgruntled person calling a Parish Poll with a question something like "Should Poll Cards be issued for the Fairhaven By Election" Having a Parish Poll on that question would cost quite a bit more than having the Poll Cards.....

7 December 2008