Delays in delivery of postal ballots

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

There have been delays in the delivery of hundreds of postal vote ballots to residents in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Cardiff Council and Vale of Glamorgan Council said they were aware of a delay in Royal Mail delivering about 200 postal ballots to voters in the Penarth area of the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency.

A statement from Vale of Glamorgan Council said initial communication indicated a number of postal ballots were held up in Royal Mail’s sorting system.

Arrangements are in place for Vale of Glamorgan residents who have not received their postal ballots to collect these from the council’s civic offices in Barry.

Statement

The statement from Vale of Glamorgan Council reads: “Although Penarth falls under the Vale of Glamorgan local authority area this is part of the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency and so voting arrangements are managed by Cardiff Council, which has issued more than 56,000 postal ballot packs in recent weeks.

“Both councils are concerned about this situation and are working with Royal Mail to identify the cause of the delay.

“Initial communication indicates that a number of postal ballots were held up in Royal Mail’s sorting system.

“Arrangements are in place for Vale of Glamorgan residents who have not received their postal ballots to collect these from the civic offices in Barry where they can also be completed and submitted to ensure these residents can cast their vote.”

Cardiff South and Penarth is one of nearly all of the Welsh Parliamentary seats where the boundaries changed ahead of the general election on Thursday, July 4.

The only seat that did not change was Ynys Mon (the isle of Anglesey).

There are now 32 constituencies in Wales instead of 40.

About 21% of the former Cardiff Central seat has been added to Cardiff South and Penarth seat along with 8.3% of the Vale of Glamorgan constituency.