Go on, vote - it really does matter

THE door-knocking has already started. The leaflets are being printed. It is only a matter of time before the sound-bites start to be heard.

If you didn't know it already, you soon will - there is an election coming.

In 100 days time, the voters of York will go to the polls to decide who runs the city for the next four years.

The City of York Council elections, on May 3, will allow residents to air their views on the present administration, and go a long way to shaping the fortunes of the city between now and 2011.

But evidence suggests most people will not bother to vote. The last time the council was up for election, only 36 per cent of the electorate participated in the poll, and there is little to suggest any great upsurge in interest.

Ought we to care? John Parkinson, of the University of York's politics department, believes we should.

"It's fashionable to say, these days, I will not vote, because it does not make a difference'," says Dr Parkinson, an expert in democratic theory and practice. "But my attitude to that is, it's not all about you individually.

"It's a collective decision that we all have to contribute to, and if we all thought that way, the whole thing would fall apart and there would be no accountability and no way of holding the people that run our city to account.

"Even though, individually, it may seem each of us does not make a difference, collectively it really does matter that we all make the effort to have a say and register our interests."

The late American drama critic George Jean Nathan claimed "Bad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote" and it is an interesting dichotomy that, while interest in political issues is resolutely high, voter participation in Britain has plummeted to derisory levels.

The mass demonstrations over issues such as war, tuition fees and fox-hunting show people do care about political issues. Yet they avoid the democratic process in their droves.

The 2005 General Election saw a series of innovations, such as postal voting, and placing polling boxes in more everyday places, such as Post Offices.

But Dr Parkinson does not believe that is the answer.

He said: "Thinking that changing the technology of how we vote, or changing the particular voting system, is not the solution. It's about convincing people that it matters.

"I think some voting systems are better than others, in that they more accurately reflect the preferences people have, so I support proportional systems. But that's mostly what we have.

"There was a big hoo-hah about postal voting, but I think in many cases that has reduced. It is not the voting technique that matters; it's the sense that it actually has an impact, and it only has an impact if people get out and use it. The fewer people that to use their vote, the less impact it has."

The issues...

Liberal Democrats

HOW fairly does the Government treat York? That will be the big question, according to council leader Steve Galloway.

The May elections provide the first opportunity to send a message to Labour rejecting the poor grant deal York receives.

There will also be concern about local health services and the impact this will have on social care.

We have a cleaner, safer city than four years ago. We are more environmentally aware, and with several new schools opened our children leave school with better qualifications.

Each party will have to answer how, in the face of recent job losses, we will sustain the prosperity achieved under the Liberal Democrat administration.

Labour

LABOUR group leader Dave Merrett said the key issue would be the Liberal Democrats' mismanagement.

This, he said, included "their waste and expensive reorganisations, their betrayal of pre-2003 election statements - such as the £100 council tax cashback; maintaining three public swimming pools, and consulting with residents; their failure to tackle antisocial behaviour; and their NIMBY attitude to housing, such as over developing with massive buy-to-let apartment developments in any ward the party didn't represent, so forcing the less well off out of York."

A new Labour council would restore good financial management, restart proper consultation - and end spin and neglect of ordinary York residents' housing needs.

Conservatives

THE Conservatives hold no seats on York council at the moment.

"But we are going to field a candidate in every seat, with the aim of trying to take control of the council," says Conservative agent John Galvin, who will stand in Bishopthorpe.

"The big issue is incompetence and mismanagement. We believe we have seen an incompetent council for nearly four years. Our interest is to offer the electorate Conservative competence. We're not going to spin, we're not going to try to pull the wool over anybody's eyes. We're just going to be honest, open and truthful."

Greens

YORK Central and the British Sugar site present major opportunities for landmark, sustainable design. Greens want to develop sustainable neighbourhoods and business centres without grid-locking the city, says Green leader Andy D'Agorne.

Congestion will be a growing problem. Decisions on Germany Beck and Heslington East will have significant impacts. The Coppergate II development will also be back. Greens championed the importance of public open space over prestige shopping.

The council is close to signing a £1.5 billion waste PFI contract including an incinerator, and is bidding for a PFI deal to hand over highway repairs. Greens oppose further privatisation of services and want to cut or recycle waste not burn it.

The numbers...

IT WOULD take a major swing for either opposition party to gain outright control of the council. But if no party wins more than half of the 47 seats available, the city could go to "No overall control" and become a hung council.

That prospect does not worry Dr Parkinson.

He said: "It's fashionable to worry about this, and to think they will never get anything done.

"I happen to think it's not a bad thing. What it does is force parties to work together and come together before developing changes. It helps develop consensus across parties and across political divides, so I do not get too worried about that.

"Hung councils are not a tragedy and can have some advantages Yes, it can slow things down and mean some things may not happen - but that's not necessarily a bad thing."

Dr Parkinson sympathises with whoever is trying to run the city in increasingly difficult financial circumstances.

"I think the biggest problem facing councils at the moment is their funding base," he said.

"Councils are expected to do more and more, but are getting less and less out of Government to do it, and are relying on council tax to fund that gap, and people are starting to squeal about the impact on their pockets.

"We should not blame City of York Council, per se, for things that are actually to do with the funding regime they are under."

* THERE are 47 City of York councillors, representing 22 wards.

* The wards vary in size, and also - therefore - in how many councillors they have. In York, there are ten three-member wards; five two-member wards; and seven single-member wards.

* At present, the Liberal Democrats are the ruling party, with 29 councillors. Labour have 15, the Greens have two, and there is one Independent.

The countdown

ELECTION fever will start in late March to early April, when the formal countdown to polling day begins. Here's what will happen when: March 27, 5pm - The deadline for publishing the Notice of ElectionMarch 28 - Nominations openApril 4, noon - Nominations close April 10, noon - A Statement of Nominations, listing all those nominated, is publishedApril 11, noon - The deadline for withdrawing nomination papers. Nominees must confirm who their election agent will beApril 18, 5pm - The deadline for voters to change or cancel existing arrangements for postal or proxy votes, or make new applications to vote by postApril 25 - The Notice of Poll is published. The deadline for new proxy voting applications is 5pmApril 26 - All counting and polling agents must have been appointedMay 3 - Election Day. Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm. The deadline for applying to vote by proxy on the grounds of medical emergency is 5pmMay 4 - The count is held at Oaklands School, with results expected from 11am onwards.

The regions...

YORK is not the only place where elections are taking place this May. It is one of 312 authorities across England hosting polls on May 3.

The whole of East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Selby District Council, Hambleton District Council, Ryedale District Council and Scarborough District Council will also be up for election, as will a third of Harrogate District Council.