Slow going

ELECTION 2011:

IT was a long, slow night for election counters, staff, candidates and their supporters.

Three sets of voting forms in some wards — council, parish and AV referendum — had to be sorted, then verified.

The AV and parish votes had to be scrutinised before sorting and counting the Oldham Council ballot papers could begin.

The parish and AV papers will be counted today.

It meant that although polls closed at 10pm last night, it wasn’t until 2.50am today that the council ballot papers hit the counting tables, and 4.10am before the first result was declared by returning officer and Oldham Council chief executive, Charlie Parker.