Frank Field’s election campaign spent £254.40 on balloon gas but what else was money spent on?
Frank Field’s election campaign spent £254.40 on balloon gas but what else was money spent on?
Today I went to Wallasey Town Hall and inspected several candidates’ election returns for the 2015 elections. Below are the pages from Frank Field’s campaign.
Unlike the local election where there is just one period that expenditure and donations need to be declared for, in a General Election there are two periods called “campaigns”. The “long campaign” is from 19th December 2014 to the date the person became a candidate. The “short campaign” is from the date they became a candidate to polling day.
Frank Fields’ campaign spent £31 during the long campaign (£19 on a mobile phone and £12 with WordPress for a website). However during the long campaign he received a £1,000 donation from USDAW (the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers).
During the short campaign £7,651.25 was spent (£1,200 on an advertising wraparound in the Wirral Globe, £4,794.35 on leaflets, £35.50 on taxis, £500 on the deposit, £254.40 on balloon gas, £437 on a market stall, £400 on office space in the Lauries Centre, £30 on topping up the mobile phone (presumably the one bought during the long campaign).
In the short campaign, the Birkenhead Constituency Labour Party donated £6,675.75, the Communication Worker’s Union £90 plus there were also two donations from individuals for £100 and £250. Updated 22nd June 2015: Wirral Council has been in touch and said that the names of the individual donors being blacked out was a mistake. £100 was donated by Ken Tasker and the £250 by Abhii Mantgani. These total £7,115.75.
The difference between expenditure and donations for this period was £535.50 was met by the candidate.
However I will point out that in the short campaign there was still £969 unspent from the donation from USDAW.
The documents submitted as his election expenses returns for the short and long period are below.
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Election Expenses: 2011 (Wirral Borough Council) Claughton ward Candidate: Stephen Foulkes Agent: George Davies 2011
Here’s an index to the pages so far. From what I remember the rest are blank (other than whatever was on that part of the form) apart from a page number the agent had written on each page. The only “blank page” included is Page 5 – B (Unsolicited material to electors).
However Cllr George Davies’ numbering system is two ahead of mine as he includes the candidate and agent declaration as the first two pages.
It’s split into three sections, election expenses form (the standard one for local government elections in England and Wales issued by the Electoral Commission), accompanying invoices and donation letter.
Election Expenses: 2011 (Wirral Borough Council) Claughton ward Candidate: Stephen Foulkes Agent: George Davies Page 1
Page 1/13 Election expenditure form for election to Wirral Borough Council. Claughton ward. Stephen Foulkes. 2011. Original form text in black, handwriting in red here (for emphasis) but not on black and white photocopy is in black.
3
Return of candidate spending: Local government election in England and Wales
Section 1 Details of candidate and election
Local Authority
Wirral Borough Council
Ward/District
Claughton
Electorate
11, 337
Date you became a candidate
25th March 2011
Date of election
5th May 2011
Date election result declared
6th May 2011
Candidate name
Stephen Foulkes.
Registered Party
The Labour Party.
Spending Limit
£1,166.85
Section 2 Details of agent
Election agent’s name
George Davies.
Date election agent appointed
25th March 2011
I am the agent responsible for delivering the return of candidate’s expenses under the Representation of the People Act 1983
X
I am the candidate and I was my own election agent. I am responsible for delivering this return of candidate’s expenses under the Representation of the People Act 1983