Lib Dems complain about parish council’s newsletter ahead of elections

A Lib Dem councillor in Oldham has lodged a complaint about a parish council’s majority party amid a row over a newsletter ahead of the local elections.

Councillor Howard Sykes described the pamphlet, due to be circulated in Shaw and Crompton, as ‘clear electioneering’.
Shaw and Crompton parish withdrew the 12-page newsletter and cancelled a series of consultation events after Coun Sykes threatened to report the parish to the electoral commission and police.

Independent councillors, who lead by majority at the parish, maintain there was ‘no wrongdoing’.

During the pre-election period, known as purdah, local authorities – including parish councils – are prohibited from publishing material that is ‘politically contentious’, or which mentions or pictures candidates directly involved in upcoming elections. This is to avoid influencing how the public votes.

The newsletter, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, did not campaign for one particular party, but did feature images and quotes from two independent candidates.

One of the candidates is Lisa Navesey, who is up for election in Shaw, alongside Yahhia Qurashi (CON), Stephen Hewitt (LAB) and Hazel Gloster (LIB DEM).

The other is her spouse Lee Navesey, who is running in Crompton against David Barker (LAB), Michele Stockton (CON) and Diane Williamson (LIB DEM).

The newsletter also announced a series of around about the parish’s transition to a town council, voted in by independent councillors at the end of last year.

The parish has eight independent councillors, who lead. Six Lib Dem councillors make up the opposition.

In an emailed statement to the LDRS, Coun Howard Sykes alleged the leaflet, printed at cost of the parish, was ‘designed to affect public support for the two so-called Independent candidates in Shaw and Crompton Wards’.

Coun Sykes said he lodged a complaint with the chief officer of the parish, Tony Hilton, saying it was ‘really concerning’.

In a response seen by the LDRS, Mr Hilton agreed to postpone the consultation events and save the newsletter for after the elections as ‘reassurance’ that no legislation was being broken.

Leader of the Shaw and Crompton independents Coun Marc Hince said: “The Lib Dems are trying to stifle the parish council from creating awareness of its activities and functions.

“Although we do not think this leaflet is in breach of the election rules, we have to consider the risk – however small – that a cost will be incurred for the people of the parish if the Lib Dems try take legal action and we have to defend ourselves.”

The Shaw and Crompton independents have declared their intention to reprint the newsletter with ‘minor edits’ at their own cost.
Coun Hince claimed it was not meant to be circulated as campaigning material, but as an ‘informative’ publication ‘so people can make their own minds up about whether any rules have been broken’.