§ 80. Brigadier Medlicottasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that parish councils in many parts of the country are seriously concerned over the heavy cost of the parish council elections held earlier this year under the Representation of the People Act, 1948, as compared with the almost nominal cost of such elections held under the previous law; and what proposals he has in mind to correct the present unsatisfactory position.
§ Mr. EdeSome increase of cost is a necessary consequence of the change—for which there was a widespread demand—from election by show of hands to election by nomination and poll. A county council has power under Section 54 (3) of the Local Government Act, 1933, to fix a scale of expenses in relation to the holding of a parish council election, and if a parish council consider that any item in the scale applicable to their parish is too high, it is open to them to make representations to the county council with a view to a reduction.