HUNDREDS of people have already had their say on Dudley Council’s proposals to make radical changes to the way people vote in the borough.

Residents are being asked to decide if they want to see elections every four years or keep the current system which sees councillors elected every year.

More than 500 people have voted across the two choices so far, but there is still a chance to have your say.

Currently, the council elects 24 of the 72 seats available each year, with councillors sitting for four years once they are elected. There is a break where no elections are held every four years, which was the case in 2017.

But under the new plans, if agreed by the council, people would head to the polls every four years to elect all 72 councillors who will be in place until the next elections in four years time.

Halesowen News:

Sarah Norman, chief executive at Dudley Council, said: “It’s really important everyone has access to the democratic system and these proposed changes will have a big effect on the way people vote in the borough.

“It takes less than two minutes to complete the consultation and I urge everyone to have their say.”

The council is using the consultation to gauge public opinion on the proposals before it is voted on in council later this year.

People will be able to go online and cast their vote on one of two options – keeping the current yearly elections where people have their say at the polls every 12 months, or opt for the new ‘all-out’ elections where people vote every four years.

Hard copies of the consultation are also available in borough libraries and leisure centres throughout the 12 week consultation, while it can also be accessed online at www.dudley.gov.uk.

The consultation is open until September 15 and the results will be put to a meeting of the full council in October this year where it will be voted on. Two thirds of councillors must vote in favour of change for it to be agreed.