A Derbyshire council has stated all its recent election arrangements were carried out in accordance with all relevant electoral legislation after a concerned councillor claimed an assistant in the recent Derbyshire County Council election count based in the High Peak had contributed financially towards a candidate’s campaign.
Re-elected Local Conservative Derbyshire County Councillor Nigel Gourlay, who secured the Chapel and Hope Valley seat, alerted High Peak Borough Council – which oversaw the county council election count on May 2 for eight divisions across its region – with claims that a vote counter had allegedly donated financially to a candidate’s campaign in the High Peak.
Cllr Gourlay claimed the count assistant in question who was not involved in the Chapel and Hope Valley count but was involved in one of the other seven High Peak divisions had lost impartiality.
He stated: “This is a complaint about the vetting of election counters on Friday, 2nd May… She was still allowed to count votes despite knowledge of this information.”
High Peak Deputy Returning Officer Mark Trillo said all prospective count assistants have to complete an acceptance form confirming they have not helped a candidate in any way and that the person in question had signed such a form.
Cllr Gourlay also revealed that Mr Trillo has confirmed the person in question was not a count assistant on the division of the candidate she is alleged to have financially supported during their campaign and at no time had the count assistant been involved in that particular count.
The Chapel and Hope Valley county councillor also explained how Mr Trillo had argued the count process guarantees the integrity of the count because each counter’s figures are rechecked by a neighbouring count assistant and the ballot papers are then rechecked by the count supervisor before being checked by the head counter in public view ensuring open transparency.
However, Cllr Gourlay says he has been told by Mr Trillo that the elections team will address the matter with the person concerned in respect of any future involvement in elections.
Cllr Gourlay has also asked whether the council will be undertaking an investigation, and whether it has checked if any further counters have contributed financially towards any candidates’ campaigns, and whether the public and any relevant candidates have been informed about the allegations, and what measures might be put in place to protect the integrity of future elections.
He stated: “Judging from this one particular case, if it was a mistake by a single individual then other count assistants might not have realised the details of what they were signing.”
According to Cllr Gourlay, Mr Trillo stressed in correspondence that all elements of the count were conducted entirely appropriately and with absolute integrity despite the Chapel and Hope Valley county councillor’s claims that the count assistant in question was not an impartial counter.
High Peak Borough Council administered elections for eight county council seats including; Buxton North and East; Buxton South and West; Chapel and Hope Valley; Etherow; Glossop North; Glossop South; New Mills and Hayfield; And Whaley Bridge.
Chapel and Hope Valley Derbyshire County Cllr Gourlay is also a High Peak Borough Councillor for Chapel East.
High Peak Borough Council was asked whether the council will be undertaking a formal investigation, whether it has checked if any vote counters have contributed financially towards any candidates’ campaigns, whether the public and any relevant candidates have been informed about Cllr Gourlay’s allegations, and whether any measures might be put in place in light of these allegations?
A High Peak Borough Council spokesperson said: “All election arrangements, including the count, were carried out fully in accordance with all relevant electoral legislation.”
Derbyshire County Council has been asked to comment on Cllr Gourlay’s claims and whether it is aware of any election irregularities that may need to be addressed but it has not yet provided a statement.
