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COMMENTS: Desmond Jaddoo

A CAMPAIGN is under way to make sure people from Birmingham’s black community are properly registered to vote ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections on November 15.

The organisers behind the campaign see this as a crucial time to start engaging the community in the electoral process with such an important position in public office to vote for.

Independent community activist Desmond Jaddoo, who was part of the campaign for an elected mayor in Birmingham knows only too well that an alarmingly low number of people, especially from the BME communities, are not even registered to vote.

He said: “If people want their voices heard especially in such an important change to the running of the police service in the West Midlands, then people have to vote on November 15, but to do this they must be registered.

“This is such an important public office and it’s unfortunate that the current anticipated turnout is expected to be 18 per cent, which is even less that the turnout in May for the local elections and the mayoral referendum which was 29 percent.

“Sadly the people who aren’t registered to vote disenfranchise themselves immediately from becoming involved in having a stake in this crucial decision.”

Jaddoo is joining forces with the Birmingham Empowerment Forum, United in Building Legacy and the Council of Black-Led Churches to launch a series of voter registration clinics in Birmingham.

The first will be held on Saturday October 6 between 10am and 12 noon at Cannon Street Memorial Baptist Church, Soho Road, Handsworth, and the second (proposed) venue the following Saturday October 13 will be at the Church of God of Prophecy in Aberdeen Street, Winson Green between 10am and 12 noon.

For further information visit: www.b-e-f.org.uk.