Elephant in the Electoral Roll

Geoff48

Being on the Electoral Roll can create an identity conflict for rural dwellers that often causes systems to fail applicants.  I have taken the matter to the Council, the Post Office, Experian, my MP and the Information Commissioner – none want to know!

The Post Office and Local Authorities each claim statutory right to designate property addresses across England.  The right of LAs was restricted to towns until the unification of the LA model in 1972.  Back in the nineteenth century, the PO had accommodated the burgeoning town address map, without question. 

There was little if any impact from this potential conflict until the aggressive commercialisation of state assets was begun under Thatcher.   Before then, the PO sold its address lists (PAF) and LAs sold the Electoral Roll; there was no conflict as the latter accepted the PAF form used by applicants.  Computerisation added to the complexity when LAs joined with Ordinance Survey to offer a computerised nationwide gazetteer (GeoPlace) and imposed a data model derived from their statute.  LAs now exercise their right to use the gazetteer address form when maintaining the Electoral Roll and refuse to acknowledge that used by applicants (note: the HMG specifies a wide range of documents to determine proof of identity, including proof of life, all of which use the PAF).

The Town Acts determine the need for and characteristics of ‘streets’.  Streets are ordered rows of properties each of which is allocated a sequential number and name plates are placed at each end of the street and maintained by the LA.  The countryside has a scattering of properties without determined relationships to highways.  The rural Address has, and continues to evolve to accommodate the most efficient route for PO delivery.  The responsibility for highway signage, its placement and maintenance, rests with the Highways Authority.

A mandatory requirement of the automated gazette is the name of a street; LAs have proceeded to allocate all rural properties to streets and applied that form to the Electoral Roll.  Further constraints often result in the dropping lines from the PAF form.  Consequently, rural property addresses have diverged, but electors are not advised until they receive a polling card or are refused credit.

Credit checking is an ever more essential service of the modern society.  By statute, Credit Agencies have been given authority to determine the creditworthiness of the individual.  Their services are then embedded in the trading systems of many businesses.  At some point, an application is verified against the PAF or the gazette, or both.  Unsurprisingly, most automated systems reject applications where the two sources differ, however obvious the similarities to a human. 

And what will happen when someone decides to automate proof of identity at the polling station?

And how will Highways fund all those street signs?

eskbanker

TL;DR: systems involving integration of massive and complex data sources will have imperfections.

What sensible and realistically achievable solution are you proposing?

mcpitman

What a load of twaddle.

What's the question/point of your post?