Professional Services

The Association now provides a number of high level support services aimed at assisting local authorities which are experiencing difficulties with or planning new electoral services. These include staffing, management, financial, review, projects and quality assurance across the whole spectrum of electoral administration.

We recognise that there are considerable challenges in delivering electoral services that:

  • are fully compliant with the complex and ever changing legislative framework
  • measure up to the Electoral Commission performance standards for electoral registration officers and returning officers
  • are cost-effective and provide value for money
  • put the elector at the heart of the system

We also know that the recruitment and retention of skilled staff is becoming increasingly more difficult and that their professional development and training is key to delivering the services which match up to the requirements listed above.

We have developed these services in response to direct requests from local authorities and their senior staff with responsibilities for electoral services and have been able to bring added value to bear, largely because of our background as the leading professional body in the UK wholly concerned with electoral administration. These services have also been developed against a background of unprecedented and increasing amounts of churn within the profession and the numbers of experienced staff who are leaving year on year for retirement or other reasons.

The types of services available and which have been provided on a limited basis to a small number of authorities over the past few years include:

  • Recruitment of staff including advertising, executive search and assistance with appointment
  • Mentoring for new staff
  • Development planning
  • Health checks
  • “Hit squad” approach for authorities with significant problems
  • Interim management arrangements
  • Assistance with election accounts
  • Shared services advice and implementation
  • Undertaking of reviews
  • Provision of project management services
  • Quality assurance for projects and services

We have a unique panel of consultants and experienced managers who we can use to assist with any of the above tasks. All have considerable first-hand experience in delivering electoral administration services at the highest level and are available for deployment according to the particular needs or requirements of any client.

For further information or to discuss these services in more detail and how we could assist you, please email member.support@aea-elections.co.uk or complete the simple online enquiry form available below.

AEA PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ENQUIRY FORM