Local elections for Hampshire County Council to cost £1m

This is equal to £12,820 to elect each of the 78 councillors who sit on the council.

The bill includes costs such as ballot papers, poll workers and polling stations but not campaign expenses which are paid by political parties.

The 11 district councils in Hampshire are running the election on behalf of the county council which foots the bill. Councillors in Southampton and Portsmouth, which are unitary authorities, are not up for elections.

County chiefs earmarked £1m in the 2009-10 budget for the local election on June 4.

Meanwhile, the EU election – to be held on the same day – is funded by Government. Voters will be given two ballot papers.

The £1m election bill has come under fire from Christine Melsom, chairman of anti-council tax group IsItFair.

She said: “It is far too much money and the county council should attempt to cut it down. On top of this is the EU election and, in other years, general and district council elections. Democracy is costing us rather a lot.”

County Council chief executive and returning officer, Andrew Smith, defended the bill, saying Hampshire was the third biggest county in England with 1.2m residents.

Mr Smith said: “The budget provision is to meet the extensive range of costs which the district and borough councils estimate they will incur on the county council’s behalf in facilitating the democratic process.”

He said these included fees for all the presiding officers, poll clerks, count workers and supervisors as well as staff training, hiring venues for polling stations and counts.

Under government rules, candidates are allowed to spend up to £600 on election expenses plus 5p for every registered voter.

These include costs such as campaign leaflets, advertisements and travel. Election expenses are paid by political parties and not the public purse.