Support for council to hold just one election every four years

A survey has shown support for the city council to move to holding just one election every four years.

Worcester City Council has been looking at the number of elections it holds in a move that could see the current system of a third of councillors elected almost yearly to a single election held once every four years.

City councillors will be asked to vote on whether to stick or switch at next week’s full council meeting with the results of a short survey of residents saying that a majority would support changing the election cycle to once every four years.

If councillors voted in favour of switching, the changes would be put in place for elections from 2024.

A total of 329 people responded to the main parts of the council’s public consultation on the proposed changes with just under 60 per cent saying they supported moving to one city election every four years with almost 37 per cent saying that they would prefer that the current system of three elections every four years stays in place.

Some respondents to the survey who supported keeping the three-in-four-years cycle of elections said the current system meant that almost yearly elections gave residents a better opportunity to quiz councillors on doorsteps and raise local issues when they were campaigning as it was “the only time they saw them.”

Others said that in one-in-four elections “diminishes accountability” and would make it easier for councillors to not carry out election pledges.

“It allows people to select councillors more frequently and allowing them the opportunity to feel more engaged with the process and challenge policies that they may feel are unpopular in a timely manner,” one respondent said.

Supporters of changing the system in the survey said local elections should be carried out in the same way as national elections.

Other respondents in the survey said one election would reduce costs, voter fatigue and be less confusing.

One supporter of one-in-four-year elections said the change would allow “stable” councils to set targets and give councillors the chance to work to achieve them.

The city council meets in full from 7pm in the Guildhall on February 22.