I will be writing blog posts at the count for Birkenhead, which will be held at the Pacific Road Theatre/Arts Centre tonight after 10pm.
With no internet access (as far as I know) it might be the next day before I upload them.
The referendum count will be held at Wallasey Town Hall tomorrow afternoon. That count will start at 4pm. As it’s for the whole of Wirral it will take some time!
I have been assured by an election official that all referendum ballots will be kept “under police guard” until then.
Results are expected in Birkenhead, depending on turnout from the wee hours of the morning. Depending on turnout and recounts (if it’s close) this’ll be some time after 1am as the AV referendum ballots will be counted and checked before the local election count starts.
Wards to watch are:-
A Labour ward in Birkenhead (where there’s been a strong Green campaign)
Oxton ward – Labour hoping to beat Cllr Stuart Kelly
Prenton ward – Labour hoping to gain a seat here against Cllr Holbrook
Losing Prenton and Oxton ward would be bad for Lib Dem morale, yet if Labour don’t win at least an extra seat in Birkenhead, their chances of running Wirral Council any time soon are far away. Having read Labour’s leaflets in Oxton & Prenton neither leaflets inspires me with confidence in their campaign.
Certainly Labour would like to win six seats in Birkenhead, yet the resurgent Green campaign, Lib Dem opposition here in Bidston & St. James and other “local difficulties” such as the anti-Cllr Denis Knowles brigade have diverted some of their deliverers that they would otherwise use in Prenton & Oxton. In addition various other factors have changed the course of the election.
Winning local elections (because of strict spending limits of about £1000) usually comes down to teams of people and their respective size.
I did hear Cllr Steve Foulkes earlier coming down my road (Boundary) and through a megaphone telling people to Vote for the Labour candidate, yet somebody used (not me) an expletive and it went quiet after. It’s nice to hear you’re so popular in Bidston & St. James Steve! 😉
Thanks for reminding Lib Dem voters it’s polling day though!
Thankfully peace and quiet has been restored (at least in Bidston & St. James). Looks like you’ll have to get up earlier Cllr Foulkes to stop the Liberals voting here!
I will be at the count (along with Leonora) to observe the adjudication of doubtful ballot papers. We picked up an extra three votes last year this way!
It’ll be interesting to see if the Lib Dems the Tory and UKIP candidates’s votes in every polling district this year. From the looks on Tory candidate’s faces, in some areas it won’t be a good night for them.
