Banners across the district and a widespread publicity campaign are expected to be used to tempt voters to the polls for this year's Bradford Council elections.

Shock figures released today show less than a third of the people eligible to vote turned up at polling stations last year when five Labour seats were seized by the Tories.

Tomorrow the Council's corporate executive committee will consider recommendations by acting strategic director of corporate services John Baker that a £32,000 campaign be launched to woo voters. It would include banners, newspaper advertising and notices on buses.

At present the Council publicises the elections by issuing poll cards and putting statutory notices in Council buildings.

It follows calls to Councils from Local Government Minister Hilary Armstrong to look at innovative ways of wooing voters.

Bradford had one of Britain's lowest voting records last May and Tong ward was the worst, with a turnout of just 16.44 per cent.

The average across the district was just 29.57 per cent - an all-time low.

But a steady stream of people trickled in to the Lamb Inn at Oxenhope when it became the district's first pub polling station.

Liberal Democrat group spokesman Councillor John Cole insisted the campaign by the Labour-controlled Council is neutral. He said Liberal Democrats would want to see the wording and design of any publicity material before they approved a scheme.

But Coun Cole said any move to improve turnout was to be encouraged.

Tory opposition group leader Councillor Margaret Eaton said it was important for local democracy to work.

But she said she believed it may do little to attract people and could be motivated by the Labour group's fear of the results. But Council leader Councillor Ian Greenwood denied that Labour were afraid of the election result.

T&A Opinion

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