Shipston Parish Poll 'cost £20 per vote'

THE results of Monday night's parish poll in Shipston-on-Stour, dubbed 'pointless' by many, are in.

The vote was on whether the town council should be forced to call a public meeting, without delay, on their purchase of Shipston police station in West Street.

Forty-six people voted for the meeting, whereas 28 voted against it, meaning only 74 people of Shipston's 4,111 electorate turned up to vote, just 1.81%.

Costing the town council, and therefore the taxpayer, around £1,500 to hold the poll in the first place, Shipston town councillor, Philip Vial, tweeted last night: "What an absolute waste of Shipston residents' money. £20 a vote."

What appears to make the poll particularly pointless, is that the public meeting is unlikely to even go ahead.

The council have already swapped contracts with Warwickshire Police and Cllr Vial said on his blog: "The result is only advisory and there won’t be a public meeting – but residents are welcome to come along to the Town Meeting on 26th April where it will be discussed."

Two rooms will be rented back to Warwickshire Police, who claim there will be no change to their operation in Shipston following the sale.

The parish poll was held after a group of residents, led by Mike Ashley, used a little-known by-law that states if more than ten of the electorate call for a parish poll, it must be observed.

Shipston residents were able to vote at the Sheldon Bosley Hub between 4pm-9pm on Monday night.

Shipston Police Station in West Street