How to vote in the 5 May elections 

VOTERS in the North West will be able to cast their vote in person at a polling station, by post or, under strict conditions, by proxy at the forthcoming general election on 5 May, as long as they are on the electoral roll. 

Electors will be voting in the general election, and in county council and unitary authority elections too. County council elections in the North West will be taking place in Cheshire, Cumbria and Lancashire and local mayoral elections will take place in Stoke. 

Key dates:-

Electors who have already applied for postal or proxy votes but need to change their request or update their details must do so by 5pm on Tuesday 19 April.

Applying for a postal or proxy vote – Application forms can be downloaded from The Electoral Commission’s www.aboutmyvote.co.uk website, or call its helpline 0800 3280 280. Completed form should arrive at the elector’s local authority by 5pm on Tuesday 26 April.

Polling cards will arrive detailing your allotted polling station where you can vote in person on 5 May.

When voting by post, electors should mark their vote on the ballot paper in secret, sign the declaration of identity and have their signature witnessed. Both documents should then be returned in the pre-paid envelope provided, to reach the Returning Officer by close of poll on 5 May. 

In some circumstances - physical incapacity, voting from overseas, studying, on a journey by sea or air, or working in certain occupations such as the Armed Forces - electors are also able to vote by proxy. In this instance, an appointed person votes on the elector’s behalf at a local polling station or by post. 

To vote by proxy, voters must apply to their local council, providing a valid reason for needing to vote in this way. The voter must inform their proxy which candidate they wish to vote for, and can change their mind and vote on the day in person, providing their proxy has not already voted on their behalf. The proxy can also apply to vote by post on behalf of the elector.

Peter Wardle, Chief Executive of The Electoral Commission said:- “Electors using their vote on 5 May have an important opportunity to influence the things they care most about. Their vote can have a real impact on issues that affect their everyday lives, from the quality of our local schools to our journey to work.” 

To find out what elections are taking place in your area, visit www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. Voters unsure of their local authority can visit www.upmystreet.com for details.

WIN A FIAT AND HELP THE NORTH WEST AIR AMBULANCE

THE North West Air Ambulance (NWAA) is running a Grand Raffle over the Summer with the prize of a brand new Fiat Panda, worth over £6,000. Tickets for the raffle, at only £1 each, can be obtained at the various events attended by the registered charity in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, ringing the charity's hotline number 0800 587 4570 or through visiting your local Fiat dealer.

This fantastic Fiat Panda is not only versatile, practical and a stylish small car but has concentrated on maximising the interior space whilst giving the cabin a versatility to enable it to meet all requirements. Additionally, the new Panda 1.1 Active comes with stereo radio and cassette player, driver and passenger airbags, central locking, dualdrive tm electric power steering and electric front windows.

Jackie Northover, charity assistant chief executive said:- "We are eternally grateful to Fiat for donating such an incredible car, what a prize! As a registered charity, we are delighted to receive such fantastic support and hope to raise essential funds to help keep this vital service in operation."

Covering Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire, the NWAA costs just under £1 million a year to maintain. The NWAA is a registered charity and receives no mainstream funding to cover its region of 5,500 square miles and a residential population of 7 million people. The NWAA attends all major motorway incidents, all serious accidents including horse riding, rugby and motor cycling, serious road accidents and incidents in areas that have poor and restricted road access including golf courses, fells, woods or beaches. On average the NWAA is called out 4 times a day, rising up to 10 in the summer.

Expert pilots and paramedics work 365 days a year to watch over the people of the North West. To donate to the NWAA or purchase your raffle ticket please call the free donation hotline on 0800 587 4570.

PENSIONS ARE A TOP VOTING ISSUE FOR WOMEN

THE outdated pension system fails to treat women fairly and could cost politicians dearly at the ballot box, a new report published by Age Concern England and Fawcett warns. The report, A Blueprint for Reform, reveals that pensions are a top voting issue for thousands of older women because the system fails to take account of women's needs and working patterns. The report goes on to outline 4 simple steps that could be taken to make the pension system fairer to women. 
Older women voters will be crucial on polling day because they are most likely to turn out and are willing to switch their vote. The report shows that half of women aged 55+, - around 4.5 million - will vote for the party that commits to delivering a strong pensions policy for women. 

1 in 5 single women pensioners lives in poverty and without radical reform of the outdated pension system future generations will face the same fate. The Government has recognised the scandal of women's poverty in retirement and pledged to look into the issue, but has so far failed to act.

Just 18% of women aged 55 to 64 think Labour is doing enough to prioritise pensions in retirement compared to 33% for the Liberal Democrats and 32% for the Conservatives. 

The report outlines a blueprint for tackling the scandal of female pensioner poverty: ensuring individual rights to a pension, providing a platform for savings, providing a pension for all and making occupational schemes work for women.

Age Concern and Fawcett are calling on the next Government to accept the recommendations and immediately start the process of reform. 

Michelle Mitchell, head of Public Affairs at Age Concern England said:- "Older women will play a crucial role in deciding the outcome of the General Election. The major political parties have all recognised the scandal surrounding women's pensions and the time has come to radically reform the system to prevent future generations of women from a retirement in poverty. 

We have presented a series of proposals the next Government could adopt to address this problem. Age Concern welcomes the fact all the major parties acknowledge this issue, but the time has come for action and not words.

Action must be taken to reform the pension system or else future generations of women - particularly carers, full-time mothers and low paid workers - will spend their retirement in poverty. The Pension Credit went some way to addressing this problem, but more needs to be done."

Dr Katherine Rake, Director of Fawcett and one of the country's leading experts on women and pensions said:- "Pensions are featuring as a voting issue like never before. Older women voters identified in Blueprint for Reform have the power to decide the outcome of this election. All the major parties have acknowledged this is an issue that needs addressing but if they are going to win the vote of women in the 45-65 age group they will have to promise a strong policy on women's pensions.

Women shouldn't have to suffer poverty in retirement just because they've taken time out the workforce to have children or care for relatives. The pensions system is outdated and these reforms would help future generations avoid poverty in later life."

New phone numbers and e-mail address for changing or cancelling your hospital outpatient appointment 

AS part of our continuing efforts to improve the services we offer our patients, the appointments office for Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust has been centralised. This office deals with outpatient appointments for Southport & Formby District General Hospital and Ormskirk & District General Hospital as well as Southport General Infirmary.

Patients can now ring one of five numbers if they wish to change or cancel an outpatient appointment. The numbers are:- 01695 656271 - 01695 656275 - 01695 656680 - 01695 656681 - 01695 656865

There is also a new e-mail address that people can use. It is:- appointments@southportandormskirk.nhs.uk. 

This is also accessible through our website:- www.southportandormskirk.nhs.uk. 

The opening of new permanent facilities for Orthodontic and maxillo-facial clinics at Ormskirk & District General Hospital has been delayed from the end of April till the beginning of June. Any Orthodontic or Maxillo-facial patients who wish to change or cancel and appointment can phone 01695 656454.

When patients call or e-mail they should include their full name, address, date of birth and hospital number from their appointment card or letter. All information sent by e-mail is treated confidentially.