Local Elections

THERE can’t be many periods in the course of Liverpool’s 800-year history when the city has undergone quite as much change as we can see all around us these days.

The current crane count is as impressive as many of the new buildings and facilities under construction. The face of Liverpool is undoubtedly changing and reflects a reversal in fortunes for many.

But do the city’s citizens feel part of this transformation? I suspect in the majority of cases they do not. Excited by the prospects yes, but closely involved? No.

Public consultation about many of the major projects now underway has probably not engaged with as large a portion of the population as many would have hoped for.

Different developers have different ways of engaging with their stakeholders.

In some cases it can be a statutory obligation. In others it’s an optional extra considered too time consuming by some – and there’s always the risk their plans will get little more than a lukewarm welcome.

So, for those wanting to play a part in shaping the physical face of the city, opportunities can be limited. Until, that is, tomorrow. (Thur 3rd) when polling stations open for the business of electing our representatives to serve on the region’s local authorities.

For most of us eligible to vote, it’s the most important means of engaging with our elected representatives and the councils they run. As a democratic right, it’s also a cornerstone of our society, and one for which a great many lives have been (and still are being) lost.

So why then can we expect to read reports and comment on low turnouts among voters across the region?

Once not too many years ago more people turned out to a Liverpool FC game at Anfield than did to cast their votes in the city’s wards the same week. With Anfield crammed to capacity for the visit of Chelsea last night, the city’s football fans have put their marker down for the city’s voters.

Do low turnouts reflect apathy among voters? Or do people really believe they can no longer make a difference by voting? It’s been a worrying trend in recent years and one that has prompted reviews of our voting system.

Yet despite living in such a technologically advanced age, people picking up a stubby pencil on a bit of string to place their firm X on a ballot paper will have cast the majority of votes counted tomorrow evening. Tried and tested it undoubtedly is. Convenient and engaging? Less so I’d suggest.

Devise a safe, reliable and tamper-proof way of making voting electronic and people will feel more inclined to participate in the process. That’s only half the battle though. They’ll also need convincing that they can make a difference.