Sector: Local Authority
Name: Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
The Problem:
Rhonda Cynon Taf (RCT) Borough Council needed print, fulfilment and postal services, including matching ballot papers with Postal Vote Statements enclosing and the postal vote issue. The timings were critical, but RCT was also having to change their software.
The Solution:
Familiar with both the original and new electoral software, we were able to install, test and switch over to Strand EROS – in time for the complicated and time-sensitive elections on 6th May 2022.
With local council and community wards being contested, we had to set up and proof postal vote statements, 46 Local Ballot Papers, 44 Community Ballot Papers an outer C5 window envelope and 90 Business reply envelopes.
How we did it:
We gave RCT formatted postal vote statement to check, amend and alter as required. Then, they securely uploaded test data, a data-brief and details about their expectations in terms of format and timings.
Once nominations had been closed, we could formalise the text for the final ballot papers. The challenge was getting the PDF proofs approved for all 63 Wards as quickly as possible. We had to print the ballot papers and covers, collate the sets of Ordinary (100s) Tendered (20s), make the sets into pads and deliver the week before the election.
Our priority was printing the loose, un-padded Postal Vote ballot papers so that we could match them with the correct postal vote statements. That meant matching the correct BRE (B Envelope) and a generic A5 leaflet into a C5 specific outer window envelope, seal, pack in Royal Mail trays and store in secure Royal mail cages ready for the client to quality check.
As for previous elections, RCT spent two days in our production unit in Bristol carrying out their own audit and quality checks. With no issues to be found, the packs were released to Royal Mail on schedule.
What they said:
“That everything went extremely well and according to schedule and wanted to take the opportunity to say a big thank you to everyone involved at MPS in delivering another successful and complicated election campaign to the highest quality, with a first-class service and within schedule.”