Combined Authority and Combined County Authority Returning Officer guidance for Combined Authority Mayoral elections

Guidance on developing communication plans to support the delivery of the election can be found in our planning guidance for CAROs/CCAROs. 

Good communication, both at candidate and agent and media briefings in advance of the result collation and at the event itself, will allow those present to properly scrutinise the proceedings and will help to build confidence that the result is accurate. Providing information on the processes to be followed can also help to lower the number of queries raised by candidates and agents, the media and other attendees.

Our guidance for Returning Officers on communication during the verification and count covers the information that should be provided at the verification and count, and ways in which that might be done. As CARO/CCARO you need to consider how to ensure consistency and transparency across the combined authority area both in terms of the information that is provided during the verification, count and result collation and when and how that is communicated, taking into account how the verification and counting is organised across the combined authority area.

You should ensure that you have prepared appropriate information to explain the processes you are going to follow during the result collation to any candidates, agents, observers and media who are present. As a minimum you should explain your role as CARO/CCARO and identify, where appropriate, your deputies and key result collation staff and explain their roles. You should also explain how the result collation process will work, including how this relates to the verification and counting of votes across the combined authority area, and set out the key stages in the process.

You should make announcements at the start of the event and regularly during proceedings to keep attendees informed about what is happening where and when. You should also announce at the start the expected time for the declaration of result. 

Attendees at the result collation should be kept informed throughout the process and you will therefore need to consider how and at what stages in the process you will obtain information from local ROs to be able to provide timely information and updates to attendees at the result collation. Particularly where counting is not carried out at one central venue you will need to reflect in your communication protocols what information needs to be shared about the progress of the verification and count in each of the constituent council areas, and ensure that consistent information is communicated to you by local government ROs or local ROs (as appropriate) regularly throughout the process. You will also need to ensure that you plan for providing them with regular updates on the progress of the processes across the combined authority area, so that they can communicate this information locally.

If agents or observers are dissatisfied in any way with how proceedings are being carried out, you should give them the opportunity to make direct representations to you at the earliest opportunity so that you can consider any concerns, give explanations and reassurances, and take corrective action if necessary.

You should have a media plan in pace, together with the local government ROs or local ROs (as appropriate), for the combined authority area to ensure that your messages and approach to communication with the media at the verification, count and result collation are consistent across the combined authority area. In addition to making practical arrangements for their attendance, your early contact with the media should include an explanation of the processes to be followed and the expected time of the result declaration.

At the result collation venue you should include space and opportunity for the media to report on the result. You have discretion to decide which representatives of the media you allow to attend. As with all attendees, you should ensure that media representatives do not interfere with the process.

You should consider providing information and/or briefings in advance for representatives of the media attending the result collation and declaration of result and ensure that you have made the necessary preparations for their presence. Our guidance for Returning Officers on the media’s attendance at the verification and count contains further details and sets out the kinds of provision you may need to make for press and media attendance, including ensuring that the venue has suitable space and equipment and that there are clear processes and resources in place for providing information to and dealing with enquiries from the media at the result collation. To assist you and your public relations team we have produced, jointly with the national TV news broadcasters, some ‘tips for managing the media at the count’.