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| Lottery plan for council voting | Lottery plan for council voting |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| People voting in local elections could be offered entry to a free lottery under plans to increase turnout. | People voting in local elections could be offered entry to a free lottery under plans to increase turnout. |
| The voting age could be dropped to 16 and pay and perks for councillors could be boosted in a bid to encourage people to participate in local democracy. | The voting age could be dropped to 16 and pay and perks for councillors could be boosted in a bid to encourage people to participate in local democracy. |
| The independent Councillors Commission proposals are being presented to Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. | The independent Councillors Commission proposals are being presented to Communities Secretary Hazel Blears. |
| It also wants "parachute payments" for council leaders who lose their seats - plans apparently opposed by ministers. | It also wants "parachute payments" for council leaders who lose their seats - plans apparently opposed by ministers. |
| Currently, leaders of Britain's biggest town halls, who earn up to £60,000 a year as elected politicians, lose their salaries the day they are voted out of office. | Currently, leaders of Britain's biggest town halls, who earn up to £60,000 a year as elected politicians, lose their salaries the day they are voted out of office. |
| But the Councillors Commission argues that there should be "parachute payments for elected mayors, leaders and executive portfolio-holders who lose office through the action of the electorate". | But the Councillors Commission argues that there should be "parachute payments for elected mayors, leaders and executive portfolio-holders who lose office through the action of the electorate". |
| 'Five term limit' | 'Five term limit' |
| It recommends the cash payouts should be equivalent to redundancy money and linked to the amount of time in office. | It recommends the cash payouts should be equivalent to redundancy money and linked to the amount of time in office. |
| The commission believes we should encourage voters to turn out to vote - one of the ways of doing this would be to offer voters a chance to enter into a lottery Dame Jane RobertsCouncillors Commission | The commission believes we should encourage voters to turn out to vote - one of the ways of doing this would be to offer voters a chance to enter into a lottery Dame Jane RobertsCouncillors Commission |
| Councillors should be able to receive local government pensions, while centrally-imposed restrictions on pay for middle ranking politicians should be removed, the report says. | Councillors should be able to receive local government pensions, while centrally-imposed restrictions on pay for middle ranking politicians should be removed, the report says. |
| It also suggests that some councillors could be able to claim unemployment benefit to top up their earnings and proposes a "communications allowance" to fund public relations material. | It also suggests that some councillors could be able to claim unemployment benefit to top up their earnings and proposes a "communications allowance" to fund public relations material. |
| But politicians would be prevented from serving more than five terms in office, meaning that hundreds of experienced councillors could be swept out. | But politicians would be prevented from serving more than five terms in office, meaning that hundreds of experienced councillors could be swept out. |
| AVERAGE COUNCILLOR Male - 69.3%Female - 29.3%Aged 45-59 - 34.2%Aged 65+ - 31.8%Under 25 - 0.3%White - 95.9%Asian - 2.8%Black - 0.5%Degree/higher education qualifications - 49.8%No qualifications - 14.9% | |
| The commission says councillors are increasingly failing to reflect the communities they serve, with the average age for a councillor being 58.3, compared with 55.4 10 years ago, and the overwhelming majority are retired or self-employed. | |
| Just 3.5% are under 30, fewer than one in three are women and only 4.1% come from ethnic minority backgrounds. | |
| The commission supports calls for electoral reform, saying that the voting age should be reduced to 16, although registering on the electoral roll should remain voluntary for youths. | The commission supports calls for electoral reform, saying that the voting age should be reduced to 16, although registering on the electoral roll should remain voluntary for youths. |
| "Allowing young people the choice of voting at 16 would give them a personal stake in citizenship at a time when they were studying the subject at school," the report says. | "Allowing young people the choice of voting at 16 would give them a personal stake in citizenship at a time when they were studying the subject at school," the report says. |
| 'Revitalise' local democracy | 'Revitalise' local democracy |
| And Dame Jane Roberts, who chairs the commission, said: "The commission believes we should incentivise voting and local authorities should be able to develop and use creative schemes to encourage voters to turn out to vote. | And Dame Jane Roberts, who chairs the commission, said: "The commission believes we should incentivise voting and local authorities should be able to develop and use creative schemes to encourage voters to turn out to vote. |
| "One of the ways of doing this would be to offer voters a chance to enter into a lottery." | "One of the ways of doing this would be to offer voters a chance to enter into a lottery." |
| The commission also proposes that councils should be given the option of introducing proportional representation. | The commission also proposes that councils should be given the option of introducing proportional representation. |
| Shadow communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "Councillors have a valued role to play in holding town halls to account and making sure that councils deliver good quality, responsive frontline services. | Shadow communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "Councillors have a valued role to play in holding town halls to account and making sure that councils deliver good quality, responsive frontline services. |
| "But it is vital that councillors are fundamentally arms-length volunteers - and do not become the bankrolled staff of the town hall dependent on the municipal pay packet." | "But it is vital that councillors are fundamentally arms-length volunteers - and do not become the bankrolled staff of the town hall dependent on the municipal pay packet." |
| Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrats local government spokesman, said the report showed the need to "revitalise" local democracy. | Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrats local government spokesman, said the report showed the need to "revitalise" local democracy. |
| Independent report | Independent report |
| He said: "The commission is absolutely right to recommend fair and proportional voting. Making our councils more representative is a vital step in restoring faith in local democracy. | He said: "The commission is absolutely right to recommend fair and proportional voting. Making our councils more representative is a vital step in restoring faith in local democracy. |
| "Our current system discriminates against 16-year-olds who can work, pay taxes and join the armed forces, but are banned from voting. | "Our current system discriminates against 16-year-olds who can work, pay taxes and join the armed forces, but are banned from voting. |
| "The government needs to listen to these concerns and give 16-year-olds the vote." | "The government needs to listen to these concerns and give 16-year-olds the vote." |
| Sir Simon Milton, chair of the Local Government Association, said it would be debating the proposals. | Sir Simon Milton, chair of the Local Government Association, said it would be debating the proposals. |
| "More people would vote at council elections if local authorities had powers to raise and retain more money locally," he said. | "More people would vote at council elections if local authorities had powers to raise and retain more money locally," he said. |
| "The commission has put forward a raft of innovative and challenging proposals and has taken an incredibly broad view of the sector." | "The commission has put forward a raft of innovative and challenging proposals and has taken an incredibly broad view of the sector." |
| However, it is understood that ministers are unlikely to take forward plans for parachute payments. | However, it is understood that ministers are unlikely to take forward plans for parachute payments. |
| A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "This is a report from an independent commission and therefore does not represent government policy or government proposals. | A Department for Communities and Local Government spokesman said: "This is a report from an independent commission and therefore does not represent government policy or government proposals. |
| "We will respond to the independent report when it is published." | "We will respond to the independent report when it is published." |