As we go about our daily lives, many of the local services and infrastructure we all rely upon are controlled and determined by local authorities, run by local councillors.
On Thursday 4th May polling stations will open for the local elections. This is your chance to have your say on who will be elected to Sevenoaks District Council, Westerham and Sevenoaks Town Council and Otford Parish Council.
Different councils run different services locally, so it’s important to first know that these elections are NOT related to highways, social care, or children’s services, which are services delivered by Kent Country Council.
Instead, Sevenoaks District Council decide and administer local planning policy and applications, arrange waste and recycling collections, and provide leisure and recreation facilities. They also help residents most notably through the HERO service (Housing, Energy, Retraining Options), which has been vital for those needing assistance with housing, debt, and welfare problems.
The elections on May 4th will also be the first which require photo identification in order to cast your vote. This measure, which is new to England, but is long-standing in Northern Ireland and most western democracies, is to prevent voting fraud and instead create an electoral system, which the public can be confident is secure.
The full list of what ID can be used can be found at gov.uk - but it includes passport, driving licence, Blue Badge, and bus pass and disabled person’s bus pass. Importantly, ID that is out of date CAN still be used, but the photo must still look like you and have the same name on it that you used to register to vote. 98% of the population already have a relevant form of photo ID – so please do not forget to bring it with you to the polls.
Local councillors are a vital part of our democracy, and our community, and it is no exaggeration to say that the choices made at the ballot box have far-reaching consequences for us all.
