FOI Request Cost of Administrating an Election

Request 101001586277

Can you please provide me with the estimated or actual amount of money spent by the local authority on the following items when administering i) the 2016 EU referendum and ii) the 2017 UK General Election?

1. Printing ballot papers
2. Distributing postal votes within the UK
3. Distributing postal votes abroad
4. Staff time for
a. manning polling stations
b. counting ballot papers
c. administering postal votes and proxy vote applications
d. processing received postal votes
5. Promotional material highlighting the date of the vote across the local authority
6. Pencils at polling stations
7. Polling booths
8. Ballot boxes
9. Tactile voting devices
10. Training staff (both counting staff and staff manning polling stations)
11. Signs directing voters to the polling station
12. Polling station signs
13. Hiring polling stations
14. Transporting ballot papers from polling stations to count centres
15. Storing completed ballot papers after the election
16. Provision of disabled access at polling stations

Response 30-08-2017

The Local Authority did not spend any money on either the EU referendum or the UK General Election as these two polls were financed by advances and settlements provided by the Cabinet Office (central government) to the Counting Officer/Returning Officer for expenses in conducting these polls therefore this information is exempt under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002-Information Not Held.