GLRO16-25 London Borough accessible materials for Elections 2016

1.1 The GLRO has a responsibility to support and provide all London boroughs with statutory and non-statutory voter information and polling station printed materials as requested by them to use in the Mayoral and London Assembly elections.

1.2 GLRO Decision 16-21 approves £70,000 to procure and appoint a print management organisation to print the statutory and non-statutory materials requested by the London boroughs and deliver directly to them. This comprises over 123,000 materials. The materials include a voter information poster and leaflet, plus Multi lingual versions of both, available in 18 languages, a multi-lingual polling station booklet as well as other statutory materials including:

o Laminated ballot papers
o Large print ballot paper poster
o List of assembly member candidates
o Polling station notices
o Polling booth notices
o By-election notices
o Totems

1.3 The GLRO also has a statutory duty to provide accessible formats for the following items:

• Booklet (large print)
• Booklet (audio)
• Booklet (braille)
• Booklet letter and envelope (braille)
• Polling station booklet (braille)
• Voter information leaflet (braille)
• Voter information leaflet letter (braille)

1.4 GLRO Decision 16-21 also included the printing of accessible materials. However, the volume of other materials requested by the boroughs has increased, and additional non-statutory printed materials have also been included to support requirements in the Count Centres and City Hall. As a result, this additional decision is required for the accessible materials which have yet to be printed.

1.5 London boroughs have requested 8,063 copies of the accessible format items collectively.

1.6 Having obtained three quotes to ensure value for money and that delivery timeframes can be met, we are procuring a print management organisation to project manage the production of all requested accessible materials by the London boroughs and deliver directly to them week commencing 11 April 2016. The cost should not exceed £12,000.

2.1 The objectives of this work are as follows:

• To support London boroughs and provide them with statutory accessible materials they require for the polling stations and to inform voters requiring large print, audio or braille materials.
• Deliver the 8,063 materials requested by the 33 London boroughs.

4.1 8,063 large print, braille and audio versions of the elections booklet, booklet letter and envelope, polling station booklet, voter information leaflet and voter information leaflet letter have been requested by the 33 London boroughs.

4.2 All materials designed and printed will adhere to the Royal National Institute of Blind People’s (RNIB’s) See it Right Legibility Standards.

Key risks and issues

3.1 Boroughs require the materials to educate people about the election and how to vote. Not providing the accessible materials would mean a portion of the electorate is not adequately informed and voting could be hindered.

3.2 Procurement rules have been followed to ensure value for money and three different print management companies will be responsible for the totems, accessible materials and other printed materials. One company has a holistic view of the 123,000 printed materials and two companies with more specialist skills are responsible for the totems and accessible materials. The company responsible for the accessible materials can also met the required timeframes for delivery.

Impact assessments and consultations

3.3 Not applicable.

5.1 This decision is an extension of GLRO16-21. GLRO16-21 decision has covered the costs of the voter information poster, leaflet and the polling station booklet.

5.2 The additional expenditure of £12,000 (in this decision) is to cover the costs of printing accessible materials.

5.3 The expenditure will be accommodated within the marketing campaign contingency budget.

6.1 By section 29 Greater London Authority Act 1999 the Greater London Returning Officer (“GLRO”) is the person appointed as the proper officer for the purposes of section 35(2C) Representation of the People Act 1983 (“RotPA”) (returning officer at elections of Mayor and London members). The Mayor and Assembly have appointed the Head of Paid Service the GLRO as part of his terms and conditions of employment.

6.2 The GLRO is the returning officer for the Mayoral and London Member elections, and constituency returning officers are the returning officers for the election of a Constituency Member of the Assembly. The Authority must, under section 36(4B) of RotPA, pay for all expenditure properly incurred by a returning officer in relation to the holding of an Authority election, in so far as it does not, in cases where there is a scale fixed by the Authority, exceed that scale.

6.3 The GLRO is empowered to incur expenditure for the purposes of the preparation or conduct of any anticipated election as he considers necessary or expedient for that purpose. He is also able to authorise entry into contracts, licences or other instruments, in connection with an anticipated election in accordance with the Authority’s Contracts and Funding Code and Financial Regulations.

6.4 Officers should ensure that appropriate documentation is put in place and executed by the Authority and the supplier before the commencement of the services.

• Procurement: Week commencing 4 April 2016
• PO raised including terms and conditions (in place of contract): 4 April 2016
• Accessible materials delivered: Week commencing 11 April 2016