Derbyshire council says High Peak complied with laws despite claims election vote counter contributed to a campaign

‘Local Conservative’ County Councillor Nigel Gourlay, who secured the Chapel and Hope Valley seat, alerted High Peak Borough Council – which oversaw the county council election count on May 2 for eight divisions in its region – with claims that a vote counter had allegedly donated financially to a candidate’s campaign in the High Peak.

However, both the borough and the county council have now stated that they are satisfied that the electoral arrangements and the count at the borough complied fully with electoral legislation.

A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: “All election arrangements, including the count, were carried out by High Peak Borough Council in full accordance with all relevant electoral legislation.”

Cllr Gourlay, who is also a High Peak Borough Councillor, had claimed the count assistant in question who was not involved in Cllr Gourlay’s Chapel and Hope Valley division count but was allegedly involved in one of the other seven High Peak divisions, had lost impartiality.

High Peak Deputy Returning Officer Mark Trillo responded to Cllr Gourlay’s complaint, according to the Chapel and Hope Valley county councillor, explaining all prospective count assistants have to complete an acceptance form confirming they have not helped a candidate in any way and that the person in question had signed such a form.

Cllr Gourlay also revealed Mr Trillo has confirmed the person in question was not a count assistant on the division of the candidate she is alleged to have financially supported during their campaign and at no time had the count assistant been involved in that particular count.

As further reassurance, Mr Trillo explained to Cllr Gourlay that each counter’s figures are rechecked by a neighbouring count assistant and the ballot papers are then rechecked by the count supervisor before being checked by the head counter in public view.

High Peak Borough Council also officially stated ‘that all election arrangements, including the count, were carried out fully in accordance with all relevant electoral legislation’.

The borough council administered elections for eight county council seats including; Buxton North and East; Buxton South and West; Chapel and Hope Valley; Etherow; Glossop North; Glossop South; New Mills and Hayfield; And Whaley Bridge.