In recent times, we have seen two different types of elections held at the same time. Ten years ago, the European Elections were first held on the same day as those for Crawley Borough Council. This approach increases voter turnout which is good to do but can lead to inevitable confusion, and confusion of a different kind that political parties can use to benefit themselves.
Confusion of the first kind relates to the different voting systems in place. For the European Elections, there is a ballot paper that is about one foot long because we are voting for one political party out of many, using a very pure form of proportional representation. This voting system works well for the European Elections because no single political party can control the European Parliament.
With our local Crawley Borough Council Elections, we are voting for one or two candidates using the first-past-the-post system. This system also works for Crawley because one party can end up controlling the Council. There is the possibility of a hung council. Some would argue that such an outcome has a stabilising influence. Others might argue that there is the risk of irresponsible megalomania visiting itself on a small political party holding the balance of power.
The second form of confusion is that which can be used to muddy the waters regarding policies for the European Elections and those for the local Crawley Borough Council Elections. We should expect political parties contesting these elections to present a set of workable local policies as distinct from any European offering. A vote in a local election will not be influencing any European treaty so let’s not pretend otherwise. Local elections are about local issues.
Drilling down, local policies should be achievable and well thought out. If a manifesto is advocating a policy that is already in place, somebody has not been paying much attention to what has been happening in Crawley.
So calling for the abolition of the spare room subsidy would be valid for a General Election but it is outside of the power of a local council. Arguing against cuts in front-line services for the most vulnerable would be reasonable if our local council was making them but it is not. Saying that we should provide and prioritise Crawley homes for Crawley residents is fine but this is already happening with the maximum local priority allowed by law in place.
Councillor Bob Lanzer
Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development, Crawley Borough Council
14th May 2014