Pre-election Period of Sensitivity - General Election issued May 2024

Pre-election Period of Sensitivity

The period until the General Election on 4^th July 2024 all parish and town councils should be mindful of the provisions set out in the code of recommended practice on local authority publicity (‘the Code’). 

NALC has issued Legal Topic Update L01-24 about the Code and its relevant paragraphs which we are issuing to all LALC member councils. 

A few questions have already been received by LALC and we hope these answers enable you to plan for situations that may have been asked.

a)     Can parish and town council meetings still go ahead as planned? 

Yes.  Local council meetings can go ahead as normal. 

b)     Can County and District Councillors attend meetings as they usually do?

Yes. Normal council business continues.  What is restricted is electioneering or providing support to any political party or candidate during the pre-election period by any local council.  Candidates may attend a council meeting but they do not have any rights to address the local council or the members of the public present – this should be stopped if the situation arises – a local council meeting is not a hustings. 

c)      Can the parish/town council put up posters in the noticeboard or website about the candidates or their political party?

No. It is not the role of local councils to promote any candidate or party-political party so this is not permitted.  Local councils will be asked by the Electoral / Democratic Services teams at the District Council to put in their noticeboards and websites information that they issue such as Notice of Election, List of Candidates and details about how to vote by post/proxy/ registering as an elector. These official election notices can be published.

       d)    Can a local council organise hustings for all the candidates to attend and answer questions from electors?

It is recommended that other organisations take the lead on organising these events because spending taxpayers’ money on these events can be challenged. Spending on election campaigns is regulated and taxpayers’ money should not be spent on electioneering events. 

e)     Can a local council issue their regular newsletter during the pre-election period?

Yes.  It may contain information about the election process and key dates to get registered to vote, applying for postal and proxy voting and locations of local polling stations.  Remember to remind voters they need Photo ID or to have obtained a Voter Authority Certificate if they do not have photo ID.  A local council newsletter should not be used to promote a political party or details about the candidates (as that would probably be a breach of the Code).

f)      Can candidates book our village hall for free to hold a public meeting?

Candidates should contact the Election Returning Officer at District Councils to obtain information about this as advised on the Electoral Commission website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-and-agents-uk-parliamentary-general-elections-great-britain/campaigning/using-schools-and-rooms-public-meetings

Useful websites

Electoral Commission -  www.electoralcommission.org.uk

Local Government Association - https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/communications-and-community-engagement/pre-election-period

House of Commons Library - https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05262/