THERE have been countless exercises in recent years to encourage people to vote. This week s fiasco over sending polling cards to residents in the wrong ward does not help in the efforts to get more people into the polling booths. And it has to be said

THERE have been countless exercises in recent years to encourage people to vote.

This week's "fiasco" over sending polling cards to residents in the wrong ward does not help in the efforts to get more people into the polling booths.

And it has to be said that a couple of years ago, when ballot papers simply went missing during the count, does not give a ring of confidence to the process.

To ensure that people are encouraged to vote - even in a seemingly less important matter as a town council by-election - there has to be belief in the system.

The events this week do nothing to convince people it is worthwhile voting.

The system has to be seen to be working.

It does not help, either, when we have a situation in Royston, where ward boundaries are different for district council and town council elections.

These need to be the same, or else more people will just give up interest in our valued democratic procedure.