The Labour Party has claimed that by criticising an opposition party’s policy Bedford’s Conservative mayor has “potentially” broken pre-election (purdah) period rules and should be investigated by the “relevant authorities”.
But Bedford Borough Council said there was no attempt to affect support for any particular party and there was “no breach” of the pre-election restrictions.
The pre-election period is the duration immediately before elections or referendums when there are specific restrictions on communications from councils and other public bodies.
When addressing councillor Jane Walker, the portfolio holder for children’s services, during last week’s Executive Meeting (19 June) mayor Tom Wootton said: “Last night [18 June] at the hustings, school fees came up lots and lots and lots.
“I wonder if [councillor Jane Walker] wanted to comment about VAT on school fees? Could you ask officers to do some sort of work about it and how much space do we have at our schools if things go wrong?”
Councillor Walker (Conservative, Clapham & Oakley) said: “Obviously, until it happens we don’t know how it would actually work.
“We have very, very limited spaces in our secondary schools.
“We have a duty to give children a place [at a school] so if they do come towards [from private schools] we have a duty to find them a place in our state schools.
“With the state that we are in at the moment it will be a squeeze in some of our schools,” she said.
The comments were made via a livestream of the meeting and a recording of the meeting is still available on the council’s website. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) approached the Labour Party to ask if it felt pre-election period (also known as purdah) guidelines had been broken.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Pre-election rules are clear that council resources cannot be used for party publicity.
“By denigrating opposition party policy in the chair at a council meeting [mayor] Tom Wootton has potentially broken purdah rules.
“We call on [mayor] Wootton to refer himself to the relevant authorities to investigate.”
However, Bedford Borough Council said: “The pre-election period restrictions for local government principally relate to publicity and use of council resources for campaigning.
“There are no restrictions on the council’s “business as usual”.
“Generally, the law requires that the council should not publish any material which, in whole, or in part, appears to be designed to affect public support for a political party.
“The question which was asked and answered at the meeting of the Executive was regarding concerns raised by members of the public about the potential impact of a proposed national policy that may or may not be enacted in the future.
“The answer provided was factual, explaining that the council was considering the potential impact, but that it was difficult to predict the impact at this time.
“The answer did not in any way attempt to affect support for any particular party and, therefore, there was no breach of the pre-election restrictions.”
In 2019, Central Bedfordshire Council temporarily removed a recording of a council meeting in the run up to the local elections after councillors used a Q&A session to explain why residents should vote for their party.
The borough’s Conservative Group was approached for a comment but did not respond at the time of publication.
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
