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Annual Conference & ExhibitionHilton Metropole Hotel, BrightonProgramme 2011

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Programme 2011Sunday 13 February 2011

3.30pm Registration – The Sussex Lounge, Hilton Hotel

4.30pm Exhibition wine reception – Durham Room

6.00pm Conference Opener –

Don’t expect a quiet life! What next for the British electoral landscape? – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Peter Stanyon, Speakers: Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher (University of Plymouth)

7.30pm Supper – Viscount Room

Monday 14 February 2011

8.45am Visit exhibition stands – Durham Room

9.30am Keynote Speech – Oxford Room

Session Leader: John Turner, Speaker: Vijay Rangarajan (Constitution Director, Cabinet Office)

10.00am Moving Beyond 2010: What’s on the horizon for electoral administration? – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Kath Richards, Speakers: Mark Heath (Southampton City Council), Karen Quaintmere (AEA), Andrew Scallan

(Electoral Commission), Paul Docker (Cabinet Office)

10.45am Coffee – exhibition area, Durham Room

11.15am Workshops – Hilton Hotel

12.45pm Lunch – Viscount Room

1.45pm Workshops – Hilton Hotel

3.15pm Tea – exhibition area, Durham Room

3.45pm Information Commissioner – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Nigel Hurll, Speaker: Stephen McCartney (ICO)

4.30pm Individual Electoral Registration – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Liz Read, Speakers: Colin Dingwall & Mark Hughes (Cabinet Office), Tom Hawthorn (Electoral Commission),

John Turner (AEA)

5.15pm Close

Tuesday 15 February 2011


9.30am Polls Apart – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Lynda Murlewski, Speaker: Ruth Scott (Scope)

10.00am AV Referendum – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Laura Lock, Speakers: Jenny Watson (Electoral Commission), Alex Thomas (Cabinet Office), George Cooper

(LB of Haringey)






3.45pm Annual General Meeting – Oxford Room

4.00pm Alternative Vote – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Ross Thompson, Speakers: Colin Rallings (University of Plymouth), John Owen (AEA)

4.30pm Customer Service Excellence Awards – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Darren Whitney, Speaker: Phil Hardy (South Staffordshire Council )

5.00pm Close

Wednesday 16 February 2011

9.30am Directly Elected Police Commissioners – Oxford RoomSession Leader: Karen RandlesSpeaker: Adam Slonecki (Home Office)

10.00am Skills for Justice – Oxford RoomSession Leader: George Cooper, Speaker: Lesley Dunlop (Skills for Justice)

10.30am Parliamentary Boundary Review – Oxford RoomSession Leader: Clive Joynes, Speakers: Tony Bellringer & Gerald Tessier (Boundary Commission for England)

11.00am Coffee – exhibition area, Cambridge Room11.30am Close of Conference

I am delighted to welcome the Association of Electoral Administrators to Brighton & Hove for the

AGM, Conference and Exhibition of 2011.

On behalf of the Councillors and Citizens of Brighton & Hove I wish you a very enjoyable stay and

hope you will be able to find time to enjoy the historic and cultural attractions of our City whilst

you are here.

My best wishes to you all. I wish you all a very successful event, and hope that Brighton & Hove

will have the opportunity of welcoming you back to our City in future years.

Councillor Geoff Wells

Mayor

Annual Conference & Exhibition Programme 2011

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Message From the Mayor of Brighton & Hove

Councillor Geoff Wells

Chief Executive’sForewordIt appears that I start every one of these Conference

forewords by saying that the past 12 months have

been challenging for one or more reasons. Much as

I would like to break the trend, I am afraid that it

would be difficult to do so given the past 12

months that we have experienced. The challenges

of the General Election in May and the effect of

combination in some areas was keenly felt and

culminated in our comprehensive post election

report “Beyond 2010: the future of electoral

administration in the UK”. We concentrated the

emphasis of last year’s National Seminar on looking

back at the May elections to see what lessons could

be learnt and in looking forward to see what

changes and challenges will present themselves as a result of having to implement the legislative

programme proposed by the new Government. The programme for the Annual Conference repeats

that approach as we start to look to the future but, at our peril, ignore the past.

The agenda for the future and the work and change that it brings with it is daunting to say the

least. I have never known such a period of change in such a short time and, once this programme

has worked its way through, electoral administration will be very different from that which it was

when the AEA was founded just 24 years ago. Since the General Election, we have been heavily

involved in working with the Cabinet Office, the Electoral Commission and other Government

departments in preparing for what lies ahead. We may not always agree with each other but the

mere fact that we have a seat at the table means that we cannot be ignored and speaks volumes

for the progress we have made and the reputation that we have earned.

It is worth reminding ourselves of the scope and nature of the change that is to come over the

life of this Parliament. The following represents a list of the various initiatives and proposals that

we have been working on with other key stakeholders and external bodies:

Welsh & AV referendums, May elections including Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, Individual

electoral registration including data matching pilots, UK Parliamentary constituency boundary

changes, House of Lords reform, Elected Police Commissioners, Elected Mayors in 12 biggest cities,

Local referendums including those for council tax, Local Government Boundary Commission

proposals, Law Commission review of electoral law, Changes to election expense returns (CSPL

review), National Occupational Standards.


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Clearly, such significant change, together with the overall situation facing local government and, in

particular, its resources, will have a lasting effect on those who work within electoral

administration in this country.

The interesting programme for our 24th Annual Conference will hopefully provide you with much

food for thought as we confront these changes that lie immediately ahead. For that reason, the

programme has been prepared on the basis of providing you with as much information as

possible about the many changes that will be faced in the registration of electors and the conduct

of elections over the next 12 months or so.

The members of the team know that we have much to live up to yet somehow we manage to

improve year on year with real positive feedback from last year’s event at Blackpool. I am always

surprised at how much detail goes into putting together the Conference programme and making

the many and varied arrangements which represent the very professional way in which this event

is now presented and I would want to place on record my appreciation of the efforts made by all

those involved in the planning and delivery of the Conference including the speakers at the

plenary sessions and the trainers responsible for the delivery of the workshops.

The new approach to the Annual Conference has been tested successfully over the last two years.

We are now building on those changes but have also decided to make some changes to the

general structure including the reversion of the social events to their “normal” evenings and the

Annual General Meeting being brought forward a day to Tuesday. All of this demonstrates the

importance of the feedback we receive from the previous Conference and of the Working Party’s

intent to take note of that feedback. Please make sure that you complete your questionnaire this

year.

The Association has again had a challenging year but, I believe, we are stronger for it and are

making a difference at a national level. There is still much to do as an organisation. Equally, the

challenges facing the profession as a whole and our members individually are just as intense if

not more so than they were a year ago. We will continue to strive to ensure that electoral

administration in this country is of the highest quality and that it provides a level of confidence

and trust that the public should both expect and deserve.

I sincerely hope that you will enjoy the 24th Annual Conference of the AEA and that you will take

full opportunity of what it has to offer. I also hope that you will leave Brighton feeling

reinvigorated and refreshed and ready to face whatever lies ahead in terms of improving this

cornerstone of the democratic process. One thing is certain – having got this far, the AEA is here to

stay and here to support you in the important work that you do.

John Turner – Chief ExecutiveJanuary 2011


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Chairman’s WelcomeI would like to welcome you to Brighton for the

Association’s 24th Annual Conference.

In doing so, I would particularly like to thank those

who have slaved behind the scenes, and in many

cases gone beyond the call of duty, to make

Conference happen. We owe the team from

Sunderland, the Conference Working Party and the

London Branch Working Group an enormous debt of

gratitude for making the booking arrangements so

smooth, for developing a full and interesting

programme, for developing and delivering a fun

social programme and for ensuring that our stay in

Brighton will be enjoyable, stress free and value for

money.

For the first time in many years, I will not be acting as a Workshop Leader (which will no doubt

come as a great relief to many). Having therefore been able to sit back and observe Conference

evolve without the pressure of developing a session of my own, I am absolutely certain that our

colleagues tasked with running Workshops and Plenary Sessions will challenge, amuse, frighten

and reassure you in equal measure.

I therefore urge you to support all sessions, not least because you will no doubt take something

useful back to the ranch but also out of recognition to the enormous amount of work those

colleagues have put in (in their own time) to make the sessions informative and enjoyable.

I also urge you to take the time to visit our commercial exhibitors who have once again supported

us by taking exhibition space and by providing sponsorship of various events and activities. We are

grateful to them.

It has been an enormous honour and privilege to act as your Chairman over the past twelve

months, and it is with a heavy heart that I pass the baton on to Kath Richards, who I am certain

will represent the Association superbly well throughout her term of office. I would like to thank

Kath for her help and assistance throughout the year and take the opportunity to encourage her to

make the most of her time as Chairman, which although challenging will also be extremely

enjoyable.

I must also thank Liz Read, the Immediate Past Chairman, for her support and guidance. This

applies not only to her personal support over the last year but also to the extraordinary amount of

work she has put in at a national level over the last few years.


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2010 will undoubtedly prove to be a watershed year for electoral services. We face interesting and

challenging times ahead, with a raft of electoral reform planned.

The May elections proved extremely demanding for many of us, with some colleagues facing

“trial by media” for events that may or may not have been within their control. I hold the adage

of “there but for the grace of …”

It could have been any of us under the microscope, which is why I believe that the role of the

AEA as a representational and training body is becoming ever more important. I am also a great

believer that the success of the AEA over the years has been built upon the network of

colleagues, so I would encourage you to use your time in Brighton to get to know as many other

delegates as you can – such acquaintances may hold you in good stead in the challenging times

ahead!

I would finally like to place on record my thanks to the Officers of the Association, who do a

cracking job keeping the business side of the AEA ticking over, and to the many Members who

work tirelessly undertaking Branch work and representing colleagues on regional and national

committees.

The AEA learnt a number of key lessons in May and has readily accepted that it must continue to

evolve in the extremely testing times ahead. I am certain that the Association is well placed to

ride out this period of financial austerity and to continue to develop and grow, providing us all

with the security that the needs of electoral administrators are being well provided for.

I hope you enjoy Conference and I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible

throughout the next few days.

Don’t be scared to approach any of the elected or paid Officers – we would be extremely

interested to hear your views on how we can further enhance the work of the Association – and

we don’t bite!

Peter Stanyon – Chairman


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Plenary Sessions

1. Conference OpenerDon’t expect a quiet life! What next for the British electoral landscape? Expect a lively sessionfrom the renowned expert duo, who will be giving their views on both past and forthcomingissues affecting electoral administration.

Peter Stanyon

Peter has been a member of the AEA since 1988 and has been honoured toserve as Chairman over the past twelve months – “a daunting but ultimatelysatisfying role, and one that has made me realise how hugely important andhighly regarded an organisation the AEA is.”

Well known for his efforts as a trainer, particularly at Annual Conference,Peter is always prepared to try something different to make often drysubjects more interesting for delegates.

He is one of the Association’s team of examiners (so be nice to him!) and amember of the Foundation Course writing and delivery team.

Peter is employed by the London Borough of Enfield, who are extremelysupportive of the work he does for the AEA even though his colleagues claimnot to know who he is, what with him rarely being at his desk. He has beenseconded on two separate occasions to the Electoral Commission, although itmust also be said they sent him back and haven’t asked him to return since!

Peter’s main goal in life is to see his beloved Luton Town return to theFootball League – the sanity of the AEA’s Chairman must therefore bequestioned!

Professor Colin Rallings

Colin Rallings is Professor of Politics and Director of the Elections Centre atthe University of Plymouth.

His busy election year included publication of the Media Guide to the NewParliamentary Constituencies –the ‘official’ notional results of the 2005election enabling media organisations and others to calculate swing, changeetc; frequent appearances on ITV and GMTV throughout the campaign,including the overnight results programme; membership of the team whichdesigned the highly accurate, if sceptically received BBC/ITV/Sky exit poll;and articles on the election and its outcome for the Sunday Times. Currentlyhe and Michael Thrasher are completing reports for the Electoral Commissionon patterns of registration and absent voting in 2010.


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Professor Michael Thrasher

Michael Thrasher is Professor of Politics in the School of Management andco-Director of the University of Plymouth’s Elections Centre. During the 2010general election campaign he toured the country, beginning in Lowestoft andending the journey on election night as the ‘expert’ commentator for SkyNews. He attended the three leadership debates (Manchester, Bristol –hosted by Sky News and clearly the best, and Birmingham), witnessing atfirst-hand the re-shaping of British election campaigning. In betweenbroadcast, website and print commentaries he likes to study electoral bias,voting systems and most recently the profile and attitudes of candidatesstanding for local election. Since 2006 he and others at the Plymouth-basedteam have been surveying candidates, identifying their social characteristics,their motives for standing and attitudes towards the under-representation oncouncil benches of certain social groups, including women, Black, Asian andother minority ethnic people as well as younger people. With Colin Rallingsoversees publication of the Local Elections Handbook, now in its 26th yearand available from Biteback Publishing.

2. Keynote Speech

John Turner Chief Executive, Life Vice-President and Chairman of theQualifications & Examining Boards

John Turner retired in October 2003 as Deputy Chief Executive at NorwichCity Council. He was Returning Officer for the City and, in that capacity, ranvarious pilot elections including two full electronic pilots. He has beeninvolved in elections for nearly 30 years and has been involved in training inthis area of work for the last 25 years or so. John is Chief Executive and LifeVice-President of the Association of Electoral Administrators and was amember of the Howarth Working Party on Electoral Procedures whichprovided the recommendations leading to the range of reforms to Britain'selectoral system since 1997. He is also the Chairman of the AEA'sQualification and Examining Boards. He has had considerable experience ininternational electoral matters and has worked in various countries in fourcontinents of the world. He is also involved with a number of other publicbodies with interests in democratic and electoral matters.

Vijay Rangarajan (Constitution Director, Cabinet Office)

Vijay’s academic background was in maths and physics, ending in anastrophysics PhD (theoretical and observational work on galaxy formation).During that time, besides music (especially singing), rowing and travelling,he also ran an IT consultancy writing software and building small networks.

He then joined the Foreign Office, starting work on the 1995 EUIntergovernmental Conference, then moving to UKRep Brussels negotiatingon trade policy. There followed a succession of FCO jobs, as Antici, as a


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private secretary, negotiating the European Security and Defence policy, inMexico as the deputy head of mission and Chargé, then as Head of Justiceand Home Affairs back in UKRep Brussels.

He moved to the Constitution Directorate in MOJ in January 2009. TheDirectorate led work on UK elections, human rights, constitutional institutions,devolution policy, and relations with the judiciary and delivered majorinitiatives such as the UK Supreme Court, the Parliamentary Standards andPPE Acts. Following the 2010 General Election, part of that Directorate movedto Cabinet office to support the DPM on elections, devolution and reform ofParliament, and is now deeply engaged in the Government’s programme ofconstitutional, electoral and political change.

3. Moving Beyond 2010 – what’s on the horizon for electoraladministration?Since the publication of the Electoral Commission and AEA post election reports, whatprogress has been made and what happens next?

Kath Richards

Kath is currently the Deputy Chairman of the AEA having previously held therole of editor of Arena, the Association’s quarterly publication. Her day job isas Principal Elections Officer at Southampton City Council, a role which shehas held since 2008. In 2009 she was heavily involved in the running of theEuropean Elections assisting Mark Heath the Regional Returning Officer forthe South East region, this was a very challenging role but one which shethoroughly enjoyed. Kath is an active member of the Election andRegistration Working Group.

Mark Heath

Mark is a solicitor and has worked in local government his entire career (outof choice). Mark joined Southampton City Council in 1990 from HampshireCounty Council, and has been Solicitor to the Council at Southampton since1997. He is the Monitoring Officer, Returning Officer and a member of theChief Officer Management Team.

Southampton forms part of the largest urban area in the South East ofEngland with a population of approximately 1 million. As the largest citywithin this Central South East region, Southampton’s population of 236,000 isenhanced each day by commuters and visitors who are drawn to the city asthe major economic, commercial and leisure centre in the area.

Southampton is a dynamic member led authority and local elections are heldin 3 out of every 4 years. Since May 2000 no political party has had anoverall majority in the Council and a number of minority administrationshave been formed, firstly by the Labour group, then the Liberal Democratgroup and since May 2007, the Conservative group.


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Mark has been Returning Officer at Southampton since 1996, and for theEuropean Elections in 2009, he was the Regional Returning Officer for theSouth East of the UK. He is also a member of various SOLACE and MOJcommittees and other groups that consider and advise on policy andoperational issues relating to elections. His first job as a trainee lawyer in1984 was dealing with an election petition!

In his spare time, Mark splits his energies between worshipping ShrewsburyTown FC and steam engines.

Karen Quaintmere

Karen's experience in electoral administration started on the Isle of Wightwhen she joined the elections office full time in 2000, and at the same timebecame a Member of the Association.

Having also gained valuable experience with the team at Southampton CityCouncil at the elections in 2002, Karen joined the Electoral Commissionworking in policy and then as Practice Team Manager. In 2007, she wasappointed as Head of English Regions and subsequently becoming Head ofElectoral Administration before moving to the post of Head of Improvementin November 2009. Her responsibilities have included leading theCommission's work across the full range of electoral administration issues,including guidance, electoral policy and integrity.

As Assistant Chief Executive of the AEA, Karen is largely responsible for theAssociation's policy and development portfolio with particular emphasis ondeveloping the Association's new professional services, working with andsupporting local authorities on a broad range of electoral services. Karen wasresponsible for producing the AEA’s post election report “Beyond 2010: thefuture of electoral administration in the UK”.

Andrew Scallan

Andrew is the Director of Electoral Administration at the ElectoralCommission. He joined the Electoral Commission in October 2006 onsecondment from Manchester City Council where he was the DeputyReturning Officer and Head of Statutory Services. In the job, as well aselections, his responsibilities included the registration of births, marriagesand deaths; the coroner’s service; licensing; trading standards andenvironmental health.

Andrew has worked in elections since 1983 and is an honorary member ofthe Association of Electoral Administrators, having served as HonorarySecretary and Vice-Chairman. He is a former joint editor of Schofield’sElection Law and has been a trainer and consultant on elections in thiscountry and in emerging democracies.


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Paul Docker

Paul Docker has worked within the legislative, courts and policy areas ofcentral Government for over 15 years. He has worked directly on electronicinnovations for issue of court proceedings and legislative information portalsbefore moving to the Electoral Policy Division in August 2003. Paul led thework on the June 2004 all-postal pilots before taking on the overall ElectoralModernisation Programme in April 2005. Paul is currently Head of ElectoralStrategy at the Ministry of Justice.

4. Information CommissionerHow is the Electoral Registration Officer and the Returning Officer (not the Council) affectedby the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act?

Nigel Hurll

Nigel has been the AEA’s Website Manager since April 2004 when the postwas first created and was previously Bournemouth’s Electoral ServicesManager for 15 years until his early retirement in February of that year. Helikens his local government career to a roller coaster ride and, although heofficiated for many years at polling stations and counts from the beginningof 1967, he wasn’t at the sharp end of democracy until March 1989 whenhe joined Electoral Services on a full time basis! He had qualified as a LegalExective four years earlier.

He has been a Member of the AEA since 1990 and has been an accreditedtrainer as well as Chairman of the Southern Branch during the 1990s,representing the Branch on the then AEA Council. The first Conference heattended (it was called Seminar then, he recalls!) was at Plymouth in 1994and he has attended every year since then, bar one – a veteran in moreways than one!

He is on the AEA’s Advice Panel which monitors the website Members’Forum on a rota basis and, through his website duties, keeps an active fingeron the pulse of electoral matters!

Stephen McCartney

Stephen’s background is in the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland, inparticular working for the Belfast Group of Citizens Advice Bureaux. After abrief period managing information rights issues for a Belfast Health andSocial Services Trust , he joined the ICO’s Northern Ireland Regional Office inOctober 2004. In January 2007 he went on secondment to the EuropeanData Protection Supervisor in Brussels, returning to work at the ICO’s mainoffice where he now works as the Strategic Liaison Group Manager forGovernment and Society.


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5. Individual Electoral RegistrationIs it speeding up? When will it be brought into effect? Will the legislation require an annualcanvass or not? What support will be provided? Find out the latest information on when andhow this will be implemented.

Liz Read

Amongst many other duties Liz has been involved with Elections andElectoral Registration for 21 years, she has held a number of posts at BlabyDistrict Council in those 21 years and is now the Democratic ServicesManager and Deputy ERO/RO. Liz has been an active member of the AEA forover 16 years. Liz is the Immediate Past Chairman of the AEA and prior toher election as Deputy Chairman was Chairman of the East Midlands Branchfor 5 years she has also been the Branch Treasurer for 2 years and is nowthe Branch Education & Training Officer. Liz is a member of a number of theCabinet Offices Individual Registration Project Boards and is committed tohelping introduce a system that is practical for both administrators andelectors. Liz has been involved in training with the AEA since the EuropeanTraining Project in 1999, she also holds the AEA Diploma.

Colin Dingwall

Colin has been Programme Director for the Electoral RegistrationTransformation Programme since April 2010. Prior to this he was the Head ofDelivery in the Department for Communities and Local Government,overseeing delivery of the department’s portfolio of high risk projects andprogrammes. Before this he was head of Civil Partnership implementation,leading the development of policy, delivery of legislation and thenimplementation of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 in local authorities acrossthe whole of the United Kingdom. Prior to joining the civil service in 2000,he worked in Westminster and in the Scottish Parliament as it was set up in1999. Colin is a graduate of Edinburgh University in Politics and ModernHistory and is currently studying (part time!) for a Masters in Public Policyand Management at Birkbeck College, London.

Mark Hughes

Mark has been project director for registration improvements (including datamatching) since joining Cabinet Office's Electoral Registration TransformationProgramme in July 2010. Since he joined the civil service in 1993 he hasworked in the Crown Prosecution Service and Parliamentary Commissioner'sOffice and has experienced first hand the transformation of the LordChancellor's Department into the Ministry of Justice. Most recently he hasbeen responsible for the UK's relationship with the British CrownDependencies, worked at HM Treasury on an independent review and ledelements of the teams responsible for the Constitutional Renewal Bill and


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the Gender Recognition Act. He has a degree in politics. He keeps himselfoccupied as a director of two primary school academies (a surprising turn ofevents) and as an England and Wales Cricket Board coach.

Tom Hawthorn

Tom Hawthorn is Head of Electoral Policy at the Electoral Commission. Tom isresponsible for leading the Commission’s response to statutory consultationsand new policy intitiatives, including the introduction of Individual ElectoralRegistration. Tom was Head of Performance Standards at the Commissionand was responsible for coordinating the Commissions’ role in developingand monitoring performance standards for electoral registration officers andreturning officers, including reporting on elections. Tom has worked for theElectoral Commission since it was established in 2001, except for a sevenmonth secondment with the Ministry of Justice in 2007. Prior to joining theCommission, he worked on boundary reviews at the Local GovernmentCommission for England. He is proud to have been awarded the AEA’sCertificate in Electoral Administration in 2002.

6. Polls ApartAt the last election Scope’s Polls Apart survey found that 67% of polling stations and 47% ofpostal voters still had access problems, an improvement of just 2% on 2001. Is our existingelectoral system as accessible to disabled people as it can be, or could greater transparencyand flexibility hold the key to delivering more inclusive elections?

Lynda Murlewski

Following a ‘family’ career break Lynda joined the Electoral Services team atGuildford Borough Council in September 2001 as a temp helping out withthe annual canvass, never expecting to stay very long………….

In June 2005 she became Electoral Services Manager and in December 2009was elected Chairman of the South East Branch of the AEA. After achievingthe AEA Certificate, Lynda has successfully mentored 4 trainees and the fifthwill hopefully start by the end of February. Consequently, Guildford BoroughCouncil is now known to John Turner as the ‘training cradle’ of the AEA.

Lynda has a degree in Business Studies which was sponsored by Quaker OatsLtd. “Marketing Sugar Puffs isn’t so different from marketing ElectoralServices really. It’s still all a matter of getting your customers to engage withthe product or service. Moving from the private to the public sector wassomewhat more of a shock!”

Lynda is a member of Rock Choir (the largest contemporary choir in the UKwith over 7,000 members) which has obtained a considerable amount of TVcoverage lately with the launch of their first album. It went into the albumcharts at no.5 (for one week only!). She won’t be giving up the day job justyet though!


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Ruth Scott

Ruth Scott is Director of Policy & Campaigns at the disability charity Scope.She has worked in the disability sector for over a decade, leading policy andlegislative work on a range of areas including education, civil and humanrights, employment and inclusive democracy. Ruth has a particular interest insocial change including the development and implementation of theories ofchange, rights frameworks and attitudinal and behaviour change. She washeavily involved in the UK disability sector’s work on influencing theapproach of Government to the incorporation of the UN Convention on theRights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and non-regression of rights in theformulation of the Equality Act 2010. She is currently the Chair of the policygroup of the Disability Charities Consortium (DCC), an informal network ofseven of the largest disability charities in the UK. Ruth is also a trustee of asmall development charity that supports infrastructure and capacity buildingprojects in Malawi.

7. AV ReferendumThe date and question has been fixed for a referendum on the voting system - but how willit work? And what are the issues for those with combined polls? Find out the answers fromthe Chief Counting Officer, and others.

Laura Lock

Having managed not make a show of herself when speaking on IER atConference last year, Laura had her arm twisted by Mr Owen to chair asession in Brighton. She seems to recall a conversation along the lines of:

‘No John, I don’t want to do it’ ‘But Laura you’d be really good’ ‘No John, Iwouldn’t’ ‘But Laura, it’s less work than last year’ ‘No John, I am not doing it’‘But Laura, I will be forever in your debt’ ‘Oh – OK then’

Since speaking last year Laura has changed jobs and now works forHuntingdonshire District Council – the regional office for the East of England.She continues to act as Eastern Branch Secretary and sits on the election,referendum and registration working group as well as AEA Board.


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Jenny Watson

Jenny’s working life has been spent in the public and not for profit sector. Aswell as being the second Chair of the Electoral Commission, she is currentlya board member at the charity Money Advice Trust, which runs NationalDebtline/Business Debtline and is also a trustee of the Charities AidFoundation.

Jenny was the last Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission prior to thecreation of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. She was theEOC’s Deputy Chair for five years before that, and is a past Deputy Chairmanof both the Banking Code Standards Board, and of the Committee onRadioactive Waste Management.

In 2004 she was a founding director of Global Partners and Associates,leaving to take on the role of Chair at the EOC. She has also worked in anumber of human rights organisations, including Liberty and Charter88.

Alex Thomas, Political Parties and Referendums Policy

Alex leads the team in Cabinet Office which deals with policy onreferendums and political parties, covering the Coalition Governmentcommitments on the voting systems referendum and party funding andregulation in particular. He joined Elections and Democracy Division in April2010 after spending a number of years at the Department for Environment,Food and Rural Affairs – working variously as the Secretary of State’s PrivateSecretary, on animal health disease outbreaks and rabies, on internationalclimate change, and in a number of other environmental policy areas.

George Cooper

George Cooper is Head of Electoral Services & Census Liaison at the LondonBorough of Haringey and chairs the London Branch of the AEA. He hasworked in London for some four years, in addition to past electoralexperience as Electoral Services Manager at Stoke-on-Trent and Secretary ofthe West Midlands Branch.

He is a member of the AEA Board and a London representative on theElectoral Commission Registration and Elections Working Group. He holds theAEA Certificate.

His past local government experience included periods in finance andcommittee clerking, and he was for four years Town Clerk of St Ives inHuntingdonshire, where his flagship scheme was a flood defence projectwith the Environment Agency. He considers holding back flood water to beuseful training for electoral administration. He lives in Cambridgeshire withhis partner Jules, a Planning Manager, and their two children.


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8. Alternative VoteThis method may be more desirable from a Proportional Representation viewpoint, but howeasy is it to administer? Find out how this system will affect the running of the poll and theorganisation of the count.

Ross Thompson

Ross Thompson has been in Local Government since 1969, starting in Londonat Enfield and moving to Northampton Borough Council in 1973. Since thenhe has progressed through Work study, Public Relations, Events incorporatingorganising the Northampton Balloon Festival, moving to Electoral ServicesManager in 2002.

Ross has been involved in elections throughout his Local government career,from Poll Clerk to now Deputy Returning Officer. In 2004 his second electionin post (as Electoral Services Manager) involved co-ordinating theadministration of the East Midlands Postal Pilot for the European election.

Since then he has served on various Ministry of Justice/Cabinet Office andElectoral Commission Working groups. He was part of the administrator’steam planning the first successful countywide count for theNorthamptonshire County Council elections.

He is also Chair of the East Midlands Branch.

John Owen

John has been involved with the AEA since its inception (1987) and hasserved as National Secretary and National Treasurer. He has always beenactive in the education and training area, as an examiner and trainer, andwas the editor of the well-received guidance manual on the introduction ofrolling registration and postal voting on demand (in 2001).

He has over 30 years' electoral experience at 5 dissimilar authorities. Johnwas appointed as Training Manager in 2007 and is currently a member ofthe Electoral Commission's Elections and Registration Working Group, theCabinet Office’s Elections Delivery Group and the AEA's Foundation coursewriting team.


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9. Customer Service Excellence AwardsSo you think of electors as customers now do you? Find out how to prove it! You can seekformal accreditation to this Government standard.

Darren Whitney

Darren Whitney is Democratic Services Manager at Stratford on Avon DistrictCouncil, which involves taking the lead on electoral administration,committee services, overview and scrutiny, elected member training andelected member support. He is also Deputy Returning Officer. He has beeninvolved in electoral administration since 1998.

Stratford on Avon DC has participated in electoral pilots since theirbeginnings in 2000 and Darren has taken a lead on several including internetvoting, electronic kiosk voting and electronic counting.

Darren is the current chair of the West Midlands Branch and a member ofthe Individual Electoral Registration expert (tech) panel. Outside of work helikes hill walking, travel (recently returned from the Lebanon) and the odddrink with a meal.

Phil Hardy

Phil Hardy is Electoral and Concessionary Services Manager at SouthStaffordshire District Council, which involves leading on all electoral matters,concessionary travel arrangements, emergency planning and businesscontinuity, in addition to some corporate support responsibilities aroundprocurement.

He is the Council’s Deputy Returning Officer and has been involved inelectoral matters one way or another having worked at a County andBorough in different Counties during the whole 26 years of his current localgovernment career. During the last 12 years at his current Council, Phil has atone time of another also had responsibility for taxi licensing, customerservices, telephony and printing.

Phil achieved Charter Mark status for both customer services and electoralservices within South Staffordshire in 2006 and currently holds the CabinetOffice Customer Service Excellence standard for electoral and concessionarytravel services.

Phil has been a member of the AEA since 1994, holder of the Certificatesince 2004 and is current Deputy Chair of the West Midlands Branch. He hasdealt with elections at all levels including postponed elections due to deathof candidates, the most notably being during the Parliamentary election in2005.

Phil spends his spare time with his family in Shropshire, walking the dog andtrying to improve his golf.


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10. Directly Elected Police CommissionersDoes this mean even more combined polls? How will it work? Who is in charge? What arethe boundaries? Where is the funding? When will it happen?

Karen Randles

Karen Randles has been in Local Government since 1994, she started workfor Cheshire County Council ordering supplies for schools. Karen moved toHalton Borough Council in 1996 and worked for a year in the Member’soffice before moving into elections in 1997. Karen took up the role ofElectoral Services Officer at Stockport Council in 2007. Upon arrival atStockport the Elections Manager was on maternity leave and the new postalvote identifiers had just arrived, however with the help of her colleagues inthe Merseyside Electoral Administration Team (MEAT) of which Karen is anHonorary Associate Member (HAM) she managed to get through theelection. Karen took up her current role of North West Branch Secretary in2009.

Outside of work, Karen enjoys travelling and you may recognise her as shewas recently pictured on the front page of Arena at the top of Machu Picchuwith a copy of the said excellent publication. In recent year’s she has beento numerous countries across the world, including Hong Kong, Singapore,Vietnam, Thailand and Australia to name but a few.

Adam Slonecki

Soon after the General Election in 2010, Adam was appointed as a SeniorPolicy Advisor within the Home Office Police Reform Unit to work ondeveloping the department’s flagship policy of establishing Police and CrimeCommissioners for each police force within England and Wales. He hasresponsibility within the Police Reform Unit for leading on theimplementation of the Police and Crime Commissioner policy, which includesplanning for the smooth transition from the current police authoritygovernance structures through to the proposed election of directly electedcommissioners in 2012 whilst ensuring that the operational independence ofthe police service is retained. Prior to this appointment, Adam held anumber of Civil Service posts related to National Security and CounterTerrorism within the Cabinet Office, MOD and Home Office.

In addition to enjoying the challenge of working on the biggest reform topolicing within England and Wales in 50 years, Adam continues to serve as aLieutenant in the Royal Navy. Commissioned in 2001, he currently isappointed to HMS FERRET which is based at Chicksands in Bedfordshire. In hismilitary career to date, he has supported UK operations in Iraq, Afghanistanand more recently, the UK contribution to the Combined Task Force 150which is tasked with maritime security operations around the Horn of Africa.


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Adam read Politics at the University of East Anglia, prior to completing aMasters in Intelligence and International Security at Kings College London. Heand his wife Lucy live in Leicestershire with their baby daughter. When timepermits and Adam is not stuck up a ladder renovating the family home, heenjoys actively supporting the Leicester Tigers whilst keeping a close eye onthe resurrection of London Harlequins where he has his rugby supportingroots!

11. Skills for JusticeThe AEA has worked in partnership with Skills for Justice to undertake the first comprehensivesurvey of the Electoral Services workforce for 10 years. Find out all the key facts and figuresfrom the survey and how the data can and will be used. Also, an update on the ElectoralServices National Occupational Standards.

Lesley Dunlop

Skills for Justice is the licensed Sector Skills Council for Justice, CommunitySafety and Legal Services. We are working to support essential skills-focusedactivity for Electoral Services and Democratic Services, in a programme ofwork led by Lesley Dunlop (Employer Services Director).

In this session we will be:

• bringing you the initial results of the comprehensive survey of theElectoral Services workforce– the first for a decade – including info onworkforce numbers, demographic changes, skill and qualification levelsand the key areas of skill shortages

• updating you on recent changes to the National Occupational Standardsfor Electoral Services.

Lesley Dunlop has worked for Skills for Justice for 6 years, and has more than20 years experience working in skills development.


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12. Parliamentary Boundary ReviewIs a reduction in the number of MPs an attractive proposition? Perhaps not, if you have toadminister the redrawing of boundaries and the knock-on effects. Representatives from theBoundary Commission for England will explain what has to be done and the timescaleinvolved.

Clive Joynes

Clive is the Elections & Local Land Charges Manager for the Isle of WightCouncil, a position he has held for five years, having been at the authoritysince 2002. Prior to working in local government he was employed as amanager in the news distribution and retail industries.

He holds the AEA Diploma in Electoral Administration, and the session onParliamentary Boundary Reviews will be of particular interest as the Isle ofWight is numerically the largest constituency by some margin.

Clive is married with five children, a school governor, and the organiser ofthe local Morris Minor Owners Club rally, which is only marginally easier toorganise than a Parliamentary election!

Tony Bellringer

Tony is developing quite a history of involvement with elections and theAEA. Starting at the then DETR in 2000, with local mayoral referendums andelections, he was seconded to the Electoral Commission 2002 – 2004 as aPolicy Manager, where he ran the review of the minimum voting age andestablished their New Initiatives Fund. On return to the then ODPM, he tookon the CORE project, including taking through the legislation that formed Part1 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006. In 2006 he moved to head theBoundaries and Conduct of Elections team in DCA/MoJ, where – amongstother things - he led the work on the regulations and implementation ofnew measures to tighten security around postal voting.

After a three year loan out of the world of elections – appointing judges tothe courts of England and Wales – Tony has returned as Deputy Secretary tothe Boundary Commission for England, where he was particularly involvedwith following the progress of the Parliamentary Voting Systems andConstituencies Bill and charting the implications for ParliamentaryConstituency review work.


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Gerald Tessier

Many electoral registration staff will recognise my name as the BoundaryCommission for England Secretariat staff member to contact in relation to thesupply of their electoral registers. (I will be available to discuss the issuesrelating to secure transmission of register data!) I have over twenty yearsexperience of working for the Secretariat, which will shortly mean I am dueto work on my fourth General Review of parliamentary constituencies.

I also have a wide experience of the effects of changes to local authorityboundaries (both internal and external) and their impact on local authoritywards. I also deal with the RPF29 forms that are supplied by each Council tothe Office for National Statistics and copied to the Commission.

This will be my second AEA conference, although my first was in 1991 inScarborough.


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Delegate Survey Questionnaire NotesShortly you will be sent a questionnaire asking for your views on a number of matters about

Conference 2011. To make filling in the on-line survey easier, you may wish to make short

comments below that will help refresh your memory when you come to respond. The Association

takes delegates views very seriously to help us try to provide future events that meet your needs

and aspirations.

Plenary Sessions Comment

Conference Opener

Keynote Speech

Moving Beyond 2010 – what’s on the

horizon for electoral administration?

Information Commissioner

Individual Electoral Registration

Polls Apart

AV Referendum

Alternative Vote

Customer Service Excellence Awards

Directly Elected Police Commissioners

NOS Update

Parliamentary Boundary Review

Workshops Comment

Election disasters and how to avoid them!

The Law – When it’s not clear, what should

you do?

Reviews and Objections

Review of polling districts and polling places


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Annual DinnerWhile you dine away, be entertained by

Matthew Wainwright, Magician, who is a

member of the Magic Circle. High-impact and

interactive magic happening in your own

hands! No mirrors, wires or trapdoors, just

quality entertainment. Matt performs using

cards, coins, rings, borrowed objects, mind

reading with your head, and even jam.

Don't ask!

SponsorsStand No

1, 2 & 3 Pakflatt Delegate Bags and Badges

5 Print Image Network Delegate Pens and Note Pads

6 & 7 ERS and Xpress Photography, Dinner Place cards and menu

11 Aero-Vote Conference Brochure

24 Smith & Ouzman Social night/Annual Dinner Prizes

Social Programme 2011Sunday 13 February 20114.30pm Wine Reception in the Exhibition Area – Durham Room

7.30pm Supper – Viscount Suite

10.00pm Happy Hour – Bar 106

Monday 14 February 20117.15pm Wine Reception – Royal Lobby

7.45pm Annual Dinner – Oxford Suite (Dress code – lounge suit)

10.00pm Disco – Regency Suite (until 2.00am)

11.00pm Happy Hour – Regency Suite

Tuesday 15 February 20116.30pm Registration for Quiz – Oxford Suite

7.30pm Supper & Quiz Night (Theme – Back to the Eighties) – Oxford Suite

10.00pm Karaoke & Disco (until 2.00am)

11.00pm Happy Hour – Oxford Suite


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Branch Photographs

Last year’s Branch photographs turned into a roaring success so Electoral Reform Services and

Xpress Software Solutions would like to repeat them for 2011!

Photographs will take place on Monday evening during the drinks reception before the Annual

Dinner.

In order to help things run smoothly we are issuing a timetable so each Branch has a specific time

to be in the Royal Lobby ready to have the Red Carpet treatment!

Branch Name Time

East Midlands Branch 7:00pm

Eastern Branch 7:05pm

London Branch 7:10pm

North East and Yorkshire Branch 7:15pm

North West Branch 7:20pm

Scotland Branch 7:25pm

South Eastern Branch 7:30pm

Southern Western Branch 7:35pm

Southern Branch 7:40pm

West Midlands Branch 7:45pm


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Clarence RoomWorkshop 4: Reviews of Polling Districts

Viscount Suite Supper on Sunday Evening & lunches

Durham RoomExhibitors, Teas and Coffees

Oxford Room Plenary Sessions Annual Dinner (Monday)Quiz Night (Tuesday)

Regency Room split into Buckingham Room(Workshop 2: Electoral Law) and Balmoral Room (Workshop 3: Reviews and objections)

Dukes RoomWorkshop 1: Election Disasters

Hotel Floorplan


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Workshops1. Election disasters and how to avoid them!

Venue: Dukes Room

There were numerous problems experienced at the 2010 elections. How can you ensure theydon’t happen to you?

This workshop will put you in a difficult position and ask you to brainstorm your way out of it!

Maggie Hill Liz Read

2. Electoral LawVenue: Buckingham Room

When it’s not clear, what should you do?

This workshop will help you identify the resources and tools you may use to find andinterpret the bits of the law you need, when you need them!

Melvin Humphreys Louise Cooke


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3. Reviews and ObjectionsVenue: Balmoral Room

Do you understand the process and should you be proactive?

If someone makes an objection you need to know how to deal with it, whenever it occurs.Do EROs have a duty to use the review process (outside the canvass period) to removenames of those no longer resident. Find out why, and how, in this workshop.

Debby Frost Judith Witts

4. Review of polling districts and polling placesVenue: Clarence Room

We have to carry them out and it’s time again this year!

Find out what you have to do, why and when.

Rob Curtis Sally Sprason


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AEA Conference and AGM – Brighton 2011Exhibitor Floor plan – Durham Room

Fire

Exit

Entrance/ExitEntrance/ExitEntrance/Exit

Up

Up

En

tra

nc

e/E

xit

Fire

Exit

Fire

Exit

18

Teas / Coffees

From Plenary Hall

Exhibition

Hall 7 is

not used

by the

AEA this

year

Pakflatt1

Pakflatt2

Pakflatt3

Prin

t Imag

e

Netw

ork

5

ER

S6

Xpre

ss

7

Shaw & Sons13

Shaw & Sons14

Smith &

Ouzman

24

FDM8

Aero-Vote11

Halarose15

Halarose16

IDOX

Group

21IDOX

Group

22

Prin

t UK

4

Professional

Election

Solutions

10Indra

9

Royal Mail20

Versapak23

Sciprint17

Opt2Vote19

IntElect12


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Organisation Pakflatt Group

Contact Name Patrick McGonagle Stand 1, 2 & 3 Telephone 02871 287 111 Fax 02871 287 780

Email [email protected]

Pakflatt are election equipment experts. We have successfully provided a growing range of productsfor the Polling Station for the last 25 years to election administrators throughout Europe, the UnitedStates and numerous emerging democracies. We have distribution in North America, Africa andEurope with offices in Virginia and Hong Kong.

Every year we introduce new and effective products to our range, so give us a call on the stand tosee what's new. Here in Brighton, the Pakflatt team will be on Stand Numbers 1, 2 & 3 and we lookforward to seeing all of you. Our exhibition stand this year is again about creativity and innovation.Once again we are showcasing our booth range and our complete range of ballot boxes, includingthe brand new Orion MK11.

We are also showing the highly versatile Totem Poll and Triple Crowns with all their possibilitieswith statutory notices, notice of poll and large print version of the ballot paper. Be sure to talk toBridgeen, Christina or Hilary about your tactile devices & sundry pack needs, they will take yourorder today.

By now you should be sporting your new neck wallet to hold not only your name badge but alsoyour car keys, room key, two complimentary Oxford Mini-Twist Pens, mobile phone, money, andheaven knows what else. These are available for sale to your authority for any purpose, so pleaseask for a quote.

We will also have our highly popular transfer case on the stand and the advice is to get your ordersin early as last year we were oversubscribed on this great product very early on.

Making a special guest appearance on our stand here in Brighton is Hollister Bundy who is our mainselling agent in America. Hollister is a specialist in accessibility issues and will be happy to discussany concerns you may have in this area and introduce you to some new solutions that are usedthroughout the United States. This week we will also be featuring our highly successful BenjaminFranklin Booth which has taken the US market by storm in the last year, with major successes inover 180 counties across 24 American States. This incredible achievement is a testimony to thewonderful things that Hollister has achieved for us in the United States.

World class products with an emphasis on Health & Safety, Security, and convenience.


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Organisation Print.UK.Com

Contact Name Claire Foley Stand 4 Telephone 01753 567100 Fax 01753 567200


Print.UK.Com have a capacity to produce 70,000 A4 Images per hour but limit the amount ofcapacity allocated to Electoral work to ensure we meet client requirements within the tighttimescale allowed, for Poll Cards, Ballot Papers and Postal Packs.

Our unique one–piece postal pack

Eliminates matching and is easy for the Elector to understand whilst conforming to Royal Mail sizeand style criteria.

Registration (Canvass) forms and Scanning are also specialist products and services we supply.

Organisation Print Image Network Limited

Contact Name Tony Slater, John Foster, Stephen Power Stand 5 Telephone 0161 209 4800 Fax 0161 209 4804


Print Image Network is the foremost provider of local authority election print services in the UK.Dedicated to supporting the election industry, we continue to enhance our reputation, refine ourproducts and define the service standard. Large or small, we serve them all - with the sameattention to detail needed to deliver a successful election. Enjoy a single point of contact from ourknowledgeable and dedicated Account Managers who are well known for their proactive andreliable approach. Not only will they keep their promises, but they’ll answer the phone in threerings – every time! Achieving success, delivering long lasting customer satisfaction and sustainedperformance takes commitment, dedication and teamwork. Join in and experience it for yourself.


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Organisation Electoral Reform Services and Xpress Software Solutions

Contact Name Hannah Lake Stand 6 & 7 Telephone 020 8829 8418 Fax


Electoral Reform Services and Xpress Software Solutions are proud to support the AEA at this year’sBrighton Conference. With yet another challenging year ahead for electoral administrators, we areready to provide our customers with our first class services, support and products. From thecreation of your elections in the Xpress Election Management System, to the production of yourelection stationery and beyond, our primary focus and concern is you.

ERS can make your year that little bit easier by organising your automated registration and canvassform printing arrangements prior to the elections, leaving you to deal with more time critical taskspost election. Our FUSION fully integrated postal pack was a great success for the 2010 electionsfuelling more demand for this innovative and easy to use pack.

If you would like to discuss your requirements regarding election stationery, election managementsoftware, automated registration, canvass forms or BID Ballots please pay our friendly team a visiton stands 6 and 7.

Organisation Financial Data Management plc

Contact Name Jim Fletcher Stand 8 Telephone 020 7055 1600 Fax 020 7511 0004


FDM look forward to discussing our patented One-Piece Mailer design which was used by 50% ofLondon’s voters at last years combined parliamentary, local and Mayoral Elections. We are alsohappy to discuss the production of Confirmation Letters, Polling Cards, Ballot Papers andCanvass Forms for 2011. - All our work is produced totally at our new central London data centre. - We operate the latest equipment dealing with all aspects of printing and mailing- Dynamic real-time job control systems and leading print management software- Experience, knowledge and quality products.Please see our website www.fdmlgroup.co.uk or contact us at [email protected].


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Organisation Indra Sistemas, S.A.

Contact Name Cristina Frutos Stand 9 Telephone (0034) 91 480 8903 Fax +34 914 809 556


Indra is a global company of technology and innovation, leader in electoral processes. We havemore than 30 years of experience in the field and around 300 electoral processes successfullydelivered to clients in 20 countries. Our vote and counting systems have been tested, and verifiedin countries such as UK, France, Spain, Norway and Italy. At Indra, we are pioneers in the use ofnew technologies such as e-counting, e-voting, electronic voters register, remote voting andsoftware applications for citizen participation with solutions such as “iParticipate”, a platform aimedat establishing a dynamic communication channel for administrations and citizens. With clients inover 100 countries and 30,000 employees worldwide, Indra can be your best partner.

Organisation Professional Election Solutions

Contact Name David Redhead/Claire Willsher Stand 10 Telephone 0191 491 4300 Fax 0191 491 1878


We welcome delegates to the AEA National Conference and invite you to take the opportunity toinspect the NEW Compact voting booth suitable to transport in most cars, together with oursuccessful Ultimate voting booth. The Ultimate and The Compact voting booths can be transported,constructed and installed quickly and easily, without the requirement for specialist installers, bothare available with carry bags and LED lighting. The writing surface is also height adjustable to meetthe needs of disabled voters. Contact us to discuss our product range and how we can help you.

Organisation Aero Vote

Contact Name Verity Walsh & Debbie Field Stand 11 Telephone 01296 485131 Fax 01296 485097

Email [email protected] or [email protected]

Aero Vote is one of the leading suppliers of election and registration solutions, providing bespokeand professional services to support secure voting and successful registration events. Our Large in-house production capacity with secure on-site warehousing makes us one of the few suppliers whoare able to complete all services under one roof making us one of the premier dedicatedmanufacturers and suppliers to numerous councils and local authorities.Aero Vote operates with accurate planning and information, combined with our attention to detailfor every project, making us a valuable partner in organising and running an election. For more information please send all enquires to [email protected] or call 01296 485131.


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Organisation IntElect

Contact Name Sonya Anderson Stand 12 Telephone 01908 666088 Fax 01908 607668


Building on a long-standing relationship, two of the world’s leading elections specialists, DRS andElectoral Reform Services have joined forces to offer a totally unique integrated election servicesjoint venture for the public sector.

This new joint venture, called IntElect, brings together a huge wealth of experience and expertise inelection services. Focusing on delivery of consultancy, technology and management services forhigh volume, mission critical, electronically counted public elections in the UK, as well asinternational voter registration and election projects. The partnership will enable election authoritiesto reap the benefits of extensive experience in reducing the administrative burden of elections.

Organisation Shaw & Sons Ltd

Contact Name Crispin Williams Stand 13 & 14 Telephone 01322 621100 Fax 01322 550553


Shaw’s supply a full range of products for the administration of elections and referendums of alltypes. We have a well-earned reputation for providing the right products at affordable prices and,above all, a reliable service that ensures that you will not be let down.

A vast range of forms, notices and posters is augmented by a comprehensive equipment list thatincludes presiding officers’ sundries, signage, voting screens and ballot boxes. Shaw’s haveprepared a complete range of materials for the Welsh Assembly and Parliamentary Voting Systemreferendums, all of which comply with both the relevant legislation and the Electoral Commission’srequirements. Our knowledgeable staff will be available to offer advice to authorities on theirneeds.

Shaw’s renowned long-life folding ballot box will be on view, as will several new product lines,including ballot box trolleys, pavement signs, First Aid kits and other practical items.


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Organisation Halarose Limited

Contact Name Thomas Quinton Stand 15 & 16 Telephone 01491 682120 Fax 0870 4292764


HALAROSE CUSTOMERS RECEIVE A MORE PERSONAL SERVICE

“You should all be very proud of the service you provide to customers, which I believe is unique.”Aileen Knudsen, South Lanarkshire Council

“You would be hard pressed to find a supplier more focused on excellent customer support.”Peter Allsop, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

“I hope you are proud of your support because no one can match it. You are a brilliant company.”Ruth Garner, Hertsmere Borough Council

“In all my experience with suppliers, Halarose is second to none in the service provided consistently over the many years.”

Martin O’Loughlin, South Ribble Borough Council

“Looking forward to continued personal service that we have been enjoying since joining you. It’s been a breath of fresh air!”

Lynda Murlewski, Guildford Borough Council

“I have never known such excellent support and advice to be provided by any company.”Nigel Spilsbury, Plymouth City Council

Electoral software you can rely on.People you can depend on.

A name you can trust.

Organisation SCIPRINT LTD.

Contact Name STUART MOYES Stand 17 Telephone 01506 676884 Fax


Sciprint Ltd. was formed in 2004 by individuals whose experience in printing for elections stemsback to the mid 1980’s. The ethos behind it’s foundation was to create a company that woulddeliver a quality product on time every time. Since it’s inception the company has continued togrow with 95% of all new business originating from recommendations. In the last year alone wehave produced in excess of 4 million Canvass forms, 6 million Poll Cards, 1 million Postal Vote packsand 2.5 million Ballot Papers. All of these items were printed, personalised and fulfilled on site inour modern 5000 square foot factory. Whilst in Brighton please take the time to visit our standwhere you will be warmly received.


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Organisation Royal Mail

Contact Name Nikki Dymont Stand 20 Telephone 08457 959 950 Fax

Email

Come and discover how Royal Mail can make your life easier, whether you are distributing A forms,Poll cards or offering voting by post. We can help you boost voter turnout and improve efficiency byutilizing our Postal Voting product. Come and find out about our tailored end-to-end solution withdedicated account managed and support services to ensure your campaign is a success.

Visit us on Stand 20 for more details.

Organisation OPT2VOTE

Contact Name Tom Crangle Stand 19 Telephone 07976 873875 Fax


OPT2VOTE is one of the premier election service providers in the UK, providing outstanding expertiseand knowledge across all areas of election management. OPT2VOTE specialises in designing anddelivering a range of solutions to address the changing needs of the UK electoral services market.Products and services incorporate traditional election services and innovations such as electroniccounting and electronic voting by internet. OPT2VOTE provides the choice, convenience andassurance, necessary to improve participation and confidence in voting, ensuring integrity andtransparency, reducing risk, whilst achieving modernisation and advancement of the democraticprocess.


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Organisation Versapak

Contact Name Julie Goddard Stand 23 Telephone 020 8333 5300 Fax 020 8310 8385


Save money and buy Versapak’s new foldable ballot box direct from the UK manufacturer.

Versapak have 40 years experience supplying tamper evident products to a wide variety of marketsectors. All products are ethically manufactured at Versapak’s own plant within the EU.

All Versapak products are reusable and can be tailored to individual requirements and customised toinclude personalised details.

Visit Steve Waller and Julie Goddard from Versapak on stand 23 to discuss your requirements forballot boxes, postal vote wallets and long-life security sacks for storing all election related material.

Organisation Idox

Contact Name Ian Bowden Stand 21 & 22 Telephone 0208 559 2555 Fax 0208 506 0561


Strand, part of Idox group, is the UK's largest provider of electoral management software andassociated services, supplying 116 local authorities that cover a voting population of 13 millionpeople.

Strand solutions manage all types of elections and help to automate three key elements of theelectoral process:

• Electoral registration

• The management of elections

• The presentation of election results

Each solution incorporates innovative means of reducing the time taken to process key tasks and allsolutions integrate together where appropriate and with relevant supporting systems such asgazetteers and document management solutions.

About Idox

Idox is a leading supplier of software solutions and information services to the public sector and theleading applications provider to local government for core functions relating to land, people andproperty. Over 70% of UK local authorities are customers. Idox is committed to providing public-sector organisations with the tools to access and manage information & knowledge, documents &content, business processes & workflow as well as connecting directly with the citizen via the web.

The company’s market leading Strand, Idox, UNI-form and ACOLAID portfolio delivers improveddata quality, stream-lined information-sharing, enhanced employee productivity and increasedresponsiveness to the public.


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Date for the diaryNational Seminar to be held on 12 September 2011 atDevonport House, Greenwich, London

Organisation Smith & Ouzman

Contact Name Tim Matthews Stand 24 Telephone 07740 813258 Fax 01323 524024


Smith & Ouzman - Bespoke Security Printers

Our aim is to partner clients worldwide to provide bespoke, value added security print solutionswhich includes design, secure warehousing, fulfillment, distribution and mailing.

We offer a complete range of services to the elections market including: poll cards, ballot papers,postal voting packs, printed booklets and inserts, forms scanning and data capture, electoralregistrations, and internet, SMS and telephone registration services.

email:[email protected] www.smith-ouzman.com tel: 01323 524000


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Programme 2011Sunday 13 February 2011

3.30pm Registration – The Sussex Lounge, Hilton Hotel

4.30pm Exhibition wine reception – Durham Room

6.00pm Conference Opener –

Don’t expect a quiet life! What next for the British electoral landscape? – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Peter Stanyon, Speakers: Colin Rallings & Michael Thrasher (University of Plymouth)

7.30pm Supper – Viscount Room

Monday 14 February 2011


9.30am Keynote Speech – Oxford Room

Session Leader: John Turner, Speaker: Vijay Rangarajan (Constitution Director, Cabinet Office)

10.00am Moving Beyond 2010: What’s on the horizon for electoral administration? – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Kath Richards, Speakers: Mark Heath (Southampton City Council), Karen Quaintmere (AEA), Andrew Scallan

(Electoral Commission), Paul Docker (Cabinet Office)






3.45pm Information Commissioner – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Nigel Hurll, Speaker: Stephen McCartney (ICO)

4.30pm Individual Electoral Registration – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Liz Read, Speakers: Colin Dingwall & Mark Hughes (Cabinet Office), Tom Hawthorn (Electoral Commission),

John Turner (AEA)

5.15pm Close

Tuesday 15 February 2011


9.30am Polls Apart – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Lynda Murlewski, Speaker: Ruth Scott (Scope)

10.00am AV Referendum – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Laura Lock, Speakers: Jenny Watson (Electoral Commission), Alex Thomas (Cabinet Office), George Cooper

(LB of Haringey)






3.45pm Annual General Meeting – Oxford Room

4.00pm Alternative Vote – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Ross Thompson, Speakers: Colin Rallings (University of Plymouth), John Owen (AEA)

4.30pm Customer Service Excellence Awards – Oxford Room

Session Leader: Darren Whitney, Speaker: Phil Hardy (South Staffordshire Council )

5.00pm Close

Wednesday 16 February 2011

9.30am Directly Elected Police Commissioners – Oxford RoomSession Leader: Karen RandlesSpeaker: Adam Slonecki (Home Office)

10.00am Skills for Justice – Oxford RoomSession Leader: George Cooper, Speaker: Lesley Dunlop (Skills for Justice)

10.30am Parliamentary Boundary Review – Oxford RoomSession Leader: Clive Joynes, Speakers: Tony Bellringer & Gerald Tessier (Boundary Commission for England)

11.00am Coffee – exhibition area, Cambridge Room11.30am Close of Conference

Annual Conference & ExhibitionHilton Metropole Hotel, BrightonProgramme 2011

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