Based in Surrey, Spelthorne Borough Council are responsible for providing reliable district level services to over 75,000 individuals. Organising successful election campaigns from start to finish, the elections team oversee a consistent output of printed communications to empower eligible residents to vote.
In advance of any elections period, the team at Spelthorne Borough Council are tasked with meeting statutory requirements, as well as managing the collection of data to prepare for the busy time ahead. This works alongside their existing partnership with CFH Print UK – a thriving relationship which has been in place for the last 6 years. Assisting electoral clients since 1992, and valued members of the Association of Electoral Administrators, CFH Print UK understand the electoral requirements of local councils, delivering a reliable and accurate print output, while complying with legislative needs.
Both parties had recently collaborated during the local elections period - which concluded on the 2nd of May 2024, meaning there was a fresh familiarity with processes, which stood the team in good stead for the expected General Election announcement to come. With a combined understanding to rely on, there was already a strong relationship in place – a fantastic foundation to work from, as a large volume of documents would no doubt need to be printed and posted over a short period.
Far in advance of any announcement being made, CFH Print UK endeavoured to purchase paper stocks, pre-schedule meetings and remain up to date on any developments at the earliest possible stage. This ensured that CFH’s in-house election experts could react immediately once the formal announcement was made.
Eventually confirmed on the 22nd of May, the snap General Election was called less than three weeks after local elections concluded. With a 6-week turnaround until polling day, organisation was key at this stage. CFH Print UK approach each election period with a clear plan in place, providing a large degree of flexibility to ensure local council partners are satisfied with the way in which the crucial printing processes are organised during this time.
CFH Print UK were already aware of the stresses and strains faced by local authorities during General Elections periods and ensured communication points were immediately set out. A prominent benefit of working together for several years was the fact that Spelthorne Borough Council were comfortable with communicating their requirements effectively to a team they were already familiar with. Agreeing to a time scale in line with the council's output needs, an account manager was also assigned at this early stage.
As an initial step to establish the exact election print requirements of Spelthorne Borough Council, their electoral services manager was provided with a CFH Print UK elections questionnaire. This detailed questionnaire is sent to gauge exact requirements for the General Election period, including the number of ordinary, postal and proxy poll cards required, as well as paper types and additional requirements including counting aids.
These details were collected to give CFH as much time as possible to carry out orders, while confirmation was swiftly issued in line with the exact questionnaire information. Hosting the crucial details in one dedicated space allowed Spelthorne Borough Council to verify their needs for the 6-week turnaround. With proofs reviewed and confirmed by the authority, a thorough process is carried out to ensure poll cards, postal packs and ballot papers match client requirements exactly. Once confirmation was received, the process of printing documents began.
Spelthorne Borough Council were keen to emphasise the importance of constant communication throughout the proceeding weeks, commenting on the receptiveness of the CFH team to ideas, willingness to work to tight deadlines, and reactive, efficient way of operating.
Always happy to provide guidance and take feedback on board, the elections experts At CFH Print UK are ‘like an extension to the team’, acting as a reference point to bounce ideas off and provide insights. The relationship surpasses that of a print provider and client, representing more of a team effort, with both parties working diligently towards the same goal.
For the General Election period, hosting Spelthorne Borough Council on-site for postal checks was of utmost importance. As well as strengthening the relationship between CFH Print UK and the council by interacting in-person, this allows the Spelthorne team to thoroughly check packs for errors, providing additional peace of mind.
Responses to the one piece mailer were also resoundingly positive. This all-in-one poll card option contains crucial voter information in one document, instead of across multiple sheets, with additional detail all in one place. Featuring all of the information required for recipients, the mailer still retains the appearance of a poll card for familiarity.
Feedback towards the end of the print and post-process was that the CFH Print UK team were diligent in their communications, striving to meet the criteria of a successful election campaign. Proofing outside of hours, providing accurate communication no matter the time of day, and remaining responsive even during weekends, there was a real attention to detail from CFH electoral experts. Ultimately, with a huge number of documents printed and posted over the 6 weeks, minimal disruption, and relationships strengthened considerably, the period was deemed a significant success.
The expertise and service levels provided by the CFH team through this period were described by Spelthorne as ‘unmatched’, with peace of mind provided through the knowledge that the team of electoral experts would certainly get the job done with a forward-thinking, proactive attitude.
Reflecting on the month, Spelthorne Borough Council’s electoral services manager was full of praise, highlighting that election campaigns with CFH always run smoothly, and the partnership continues to thrive.
Keeping track of the final figures, Spelthorne’s print output included over 82,000 poll cards produced and printed, with a total of more than 14,000 postal vote packs delivered, and around 96,000 ballot papers overall. Looking ahead now, both organisations are anticipating a positive future working together, with CFH Print UK ready and waiting to provide a best-class elections service for any upcoming campaigns.
The CFH Print UK team were incredibly helpful throughout the entire General Election period, with a great attention to detail and an organised way of doing things. In particular, Jaime and Caroline were amazing. The constant communication they provided meant that we fully trusted the elections team to carry out our requirements, and they didn’t disappoint. We trust CFH to provide expert support whenever we need it, and will certainly be happy to work with them for any future elections.
Electoral Services Manager,
Spelthorne Borough Council
