Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

After the poll you should carry out a thorough evaluation of all processes outlined in your project plan seeking feedback from appropriate stakeholders, and produce a lessons learnt document which will be used to inform the project plan and risk register for future electoral events.

The scope of the review should cover all aspects of the election and each process that was planned for and carried out should be reviewed.

A key part of the review will be the consideration of the aims and objectives set out in your project plan and measuring your performance against these.

You should pay particular attention to reviewing:

• your project planning
• whether you were able to secure adequate resources
• if you are not also the ERO, what worked well and what could be improved when working with them or their staff
• how contractors have been managed and whether they delivered work to the required specification
• the equipment and stationery used
• the equipment provided to support disabled voters
• the recruitment and training of staff
• the suitability of venues used
• the management of nominations, polling stations, the absent voting process, and the verification and count 
• the processing and handling of queries
• your public engagement activity
• any issues affecting the security/integrity of the election
• your interactions with candidates and agents

As part of the review you should seek feedback from appropriate stakeholders including:

• your staff 
• if you are not also the ERO, the ERO
• electors
• candidates, agents and political parties
• local organisations of disabled people, older people and minority ethnic groups, and the council’s access officers

You should consider inviting a number of members of staff, including polling station staff, to a discussion in order to address all aspects of the polling station process, from training and briefing sessions through to dealing with difficult situations on polling day. You should also take into account any feedback provided in reports returned by Presiding Officers and polling station inspectors.

Once you have reviewed all aspects of the election and sought feedback from appropriate stakeholders you should produce a lessons learnt document. The lessons learnt document should include an analysis of what practices were successful and where these could be used elsewhere, what you would do again or do differently, and key recommendations. The lessons learnt report should then be used to inform the project plan and risk register for future electoral events.