PM asked to help in postal vote row

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.thisishampshire.net/news/ham ... te_row.php

FURIOUS Test Valley Borough Council leaders have launched a petition on the Downing Street website calling on the Prime Minister to intervene in their row with the Royal Mail over lost postal votes.

More than 950 postal votes, apparently posted in time for borough and parish elections on 3 May, were delivered to the wrong address in Andover.

There they remained for six days while the company which received them attempted to contact the Royal Mail to inform them of the error.
advertisement

As a result, the returning officer did not receive the postal ballot papers until 14 May and they could not be included in the count on 4 May.

Council portfolio holder, Cllr Daniel Busk, said: "At the end of October this council agreed that communications in the strongest terms should be sent to the Royal Mail, Ministry of Justice and Postcomm.

"Even though we took the trouble to send these communications by registered mail - for obvious reasons - after a month there's still no response at all from the Royal Mail or the Ministry of Justice. While Postwatch is investigating the matter on our behalf, others have said they cannot take action.

He added: "We are so concerned we have now launched a petition on the Downing Street website, asking the Prime Minister himself to get involved."

Mr Busk is urging people to register their name on the petition by visiting http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/postalvotes/%20 or go to the Downing Street website http://www.petitions.pm.gov.uk/ Or write to the chairman of the Royal Mail's board: Allan Leighton, Royal Mail Group Ltd, 148 Old Street, London EC1V 9HQ.

"Please make it clear that you do not find the Royal Mail's position acceptable - assuming your letter arrives safely of course," said Mr Busk.