Stevenage Borough Council are a district council, governing the town and borough of Stevenage in Hertfordshire. The Stevenage Borough Council electoral department have the important responsibility of organising successful election campaigns from start to finish. They also oversee the output of print and digital communications relating to electoral activities, aiming to increase resident engagement and knowledge of Local Government Elections, as well as Parliamentary General Elections.
With years of combined understanding to rely on, there was already an established relationship in place between CFH Print UK and Stevenage Borough Council, as both parties recently collaborated during the local elections period - which concluded on the 2nd of May 2024.
The May period represented a resounding success, as almost 250,000 documents were produced and posted by CFH Print on behalf of Stevenage. This included documents for UK Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
The experienced electoral experts at CFH were delighted to serve Stevenage Borough Council through what was, following a Local Government Boundary Review, the most complex set of local elections in the Borough’s history - though the work certainly didn’t stop there.
Trusted by Stevenage Borough Council, and prepared in the knowledge that a General Election would have to be called before the end of January 2025, the CFH elections team were able to prepare extensively, well in advance of any formal announcement. This included purchasing paper stocks, pre-scheduling meetings and remaining up to date with industry news.
Announced somewhat surprisingly on the 22nd of May 2024, with polling day set to take place 6 weeks later on Thursday 4th July 2024, a General Election being called so early in the year was a surprise, but both CFH and Stevenage Borough Council were prepared nonetheless. At the point of the election being called, Stevenage had been working with CFH Print UK for five years, meaning both parties understood each other well.
Frank and clear conversations were taking place with the Stevenage electoral department as soon as the announcement was made, with decisions made together at this early stage. Immediately, dedicated points of contact were outlined who would be available for the Stevenage team to correspond with at all times. The benefit of this long-term working relationship is that individuals within the Stevenage team already have existing relationships with CFH elections experts, and vice-versa.
Based completely on trust, the association between CFH and Stevenage has of course strengthened considerably over the years. This meant that there was a shared understanding of established processes in place, which had previously been successful during election campaigns. As members of the Association of Electoral Administrators, CFH are well aware of the stresses and strains faced by local authorities during general elections periods, and ensured a set structure was in place to follow.
To begin the process of establishing Stevenage’s print requirements, an initial detailed elections questionnaire was sent, to be completed and returned. This four-page form included sections to indicate the volume of ordinary, postal and proxy poll cards required, as well as key dates to keep in mind. Alongside this key information, the sheet included sections for more specific detail, including interest in attending for on-site postal checks, and requirements for large ballots, street lists or counting aids.
Though the questionnaire includes a lot of information, the amount of detail included is always necessary for CFH Print UK to establish needs at this early stage and gain a more complete understanding of requirements.
With the needs of Stevenage Borough Council outlined, an order confirmation was issued to line up with information from the questionnaire, providing the details in one dedicated space. Following this, proofs were successfully reviewed and confirmed by Stevenage Borough Council representatives, to ensure the poll cards, postal packs and ballot papers were formatted as required. With a quick turnaround, confirmation was issued, and the process began to ensure these documents were printed securely, in line with client requirements and crucial deadlines.
The CFH team remain aware that the entire process hinges on trust, therefore additional communications took place through the coming weeks. This included regular updates, images and videos being sent over to provide peace of mind throughout, including footage of packs being loaded onto Royal Mail lorries. Working around the clock over the next few weeks, Nicki Newburn, Caroline Linton and the team were more than happy to host Stevenage Borough Council for on site postal checks.
The Stevenage elections team were keen to emphasise the importance of attending these checks in person, allowing them to oversee quality assurance and gain additional peace of mind that the process was running smoothly. As almost one third of the entire Stevenage constituency vote via post, the thoroughness of these checks could not be understated, with delays minimised and quality assured.
Stevenage representatives were enthusiastic to mention the high quality of poll cards, postal vote packs, ballot papers and the separate one-piece mailer provided. This all-in-one option contains crucial voter information in one document, instead of across multiple sheets. Their electoral department were keen to highlight that postal packs provided by CFH were noticeably higher quality when compared to the printed output of other providers, easy to understand and with clear instructions all in one place.
With a huge number of documents printed and posted prior to the General Election period coming to a close, Stevenage were keen to extend their gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the CFH Print UK teams. The responsiveness of communication throughout really stood out, with the entire team feeling involved even when they were not able to attend on site every single day due to other commitments.
Described as ‘unrivalled in the industry’ and ‘streets ahead of other products’, the quality of print was another highlight. CFH were delighted to meet the requirements of a timely election campaign for Stevenage, with individuals going above and beyond to deliver a memorable election campaign for all the right reasons. The council trust that we will deliver every time, therefore when there are any new requirements, they know who to reach out to.
Overall, Stevenage’s print output for the 2024 General Election term included over 48,000 poll cards and around 20,000 postal poll cards. The document total also included over 20,000 initial postal vote forms and around 75,000 ballot papers, each printed and posted by CFH Print UK. With another successful elections period completed, and the relationship with Stevenage Borough Council continuing to thrive, CFH are well-equipped to assist the council electoral department with any upcoming election requirements.
I seriously doubt that the 2024 General Election period would have been as smooth of a process without the invaluable service the elections team at CFH Print UK provided throughout. As always, Nicki, Caroline and the wider team were incredibly proactive, receptive to our needs and available to answer questions or assist at a moment’s notice. Having formed a strong relationship over five years, we always trust CFH for their thorough knowledge, endless hard work, and commitment to providing us with a high-quality print output at all times. The quality of their products is simply unmatched.
Democratic Services Manager,
Stevenage Borough Council
