We publish below a list of 55 candidates in the York Council elections who are refusing to reveal where they live.
It is only recently that the government changed the rules to allow home addresses to be omitted from candidate nomination forms. Council officials still check that potential candidates are on the electoral register or are qualified to stand in some other way. But there is no transparency about whether a candidate lives in or particularly close to the area that he or she hopes to represent.
The Dringhouses ward fares particularly badly. 7 of the 14 candidates there decline to say where they live.
This is important because many electors will expect their Councillors to regularly check on the quality of public series in the area. A good maxim for Councillors has always been the three “C”’s.
Consult residents, Campaign for improvements and Communicate what you have done.
This can most easily be done if a Councillor lives in or very near to the ward that they represent. From the moment they leave their home in a morning they can be scanning public services like roads, street lights and litter collection to check that everything is OK.
That’s much more difficult if you live several miles away. There is evidence to suggest that, after the first few enthusiastic months, communication with residents declines (until another election comes round).
So, electors have a right to know whether a candidate lives in the neighbourhood.
The government changed the rules in an attempt to protect public servants from intimidation. That’s’ fine. There is no need to publish the house number of a candidate. Just the street name, and confirmation of which ward it is in, would suffice, at least until someone has been elected.
Four of the “shy” candidates are currently sitting Councillors.
- Cllr Boyce doesn’t provide either her address or personal telephone number on the Council web site
- Cllr Michael Pavlovic also doesn’t provide an address but he has listed a mobile phone number
- Cllr Margaret Wells doesn’t provide an address but does list a phone number
- Cllr Stuart Barnes does list both his Strensall address and a personal telephone number.
A quick look at the Party websites reveals that they are no more candid about where their candidates live.
All candidates should, before the 2nd May poll, publish details indicating which polling district they live in, and provide a contact email and telephone number.
Such details will be required by residents if candidates are fortunate enough to get elected.
