Election count: 'He should not be seeking excuses to buy more time'

IT is not surprising that Edinburgh's returning officer, Tom Aitchison, appears to be jittery about the forthcoming general election count. The city has an appalling record in delivering results promptly and efficiently.

First Mr Aitchison indicated he might delay the count to the day after polling day. But under pressure to declare results as near to the close of polling as possible he then indicated counting would as tradition dictates take place on the night. But now he appears to be wavering again, warning that in the event of a recount he may send staff home and ask them to come in the next day to complete the task. That frankly is not acceptable.

Part of the thrill of election day is that voters want to know as soon as possible who their MP is and who will form their government. Candidates and party workers will also not relish unnecessary delays in finding out how they fared.

Legislation dictates returning officers deliver results as soon as is practicable and they must provide clear justification for postponing counting.

The difficulty in gathering in ballot boxes is one reason why rural counts are often late but with five constituencies in a tight geographical area this excuse cannot be used in Edinburgh.

Neither can the requirement for more careful scrutiny of postal votes as the vast majority are checked and counted before polling ends.

While Mr Aitchison will naturally be wary of avoiding the disastrous counts of 1999 and 2007 but he should not be seeking excuses to buy more time in advance but concentrate on delivering results this time around in an orderly and timely manner.

Cynical exercise

THE conduct of private health provider Bupa over billing the relatives of a grandmother who passed away in one of its care homes for two extra weeks' board is insensitive to say the least.

Euphemia Dougan was forced to sell her house to pay for her care and spent 180,000 over four years being looked after at the Pentland Hill Nursing Home. Immediately following her death her family cleared her room. Despite this, months after she passed away they received a bill for a further 2,000. Bupa says it is its policy to keep rooms available as a grieving space – but in this case the family said they did not plan to return. The company says it will look at revising its policy of automatically keeping a room unoccupied for two weeks and charging for it. It is difficult to see this as anything other than a cynical money-making exercise.

At the very least Bupa should ask the relatives of a deceased person whether they wish continued access or not, instead of causing them further grief at what is already a very distressing time.