Wokingham Borough Council is urging residents within the borough to make sure they are on the register of electors for the forthcoming year. Electoral registration forms addressed to ‘The Occupier’ will be delivered to every home during week beginning Monday August 29.

Residents are required to respond to the form every year; this ensures that the register is kept as up to date and accurate as possible. Forms can either be returned by post or (if there are no changes to be made) responded to online or by calling 0800 197 8603 for free.

Alison Wood, electoral services manager, said: "Being on the register of electors is important. If you are not, as well as being unable to vote, you may experience difficulties opening bank accounts or obtaining credit facilities."

"There are two big changes to the way we are running the canvass this year. Firstly, there will be no red reminder form sent out a month after the first green form we send in August. This is to try and save the council’s precious resources. Residents are being asked to return the form as soon as possible, but no later than October 17. If the form is not returned by this date, we will send a canvasser to call on properties that have not responded.

"The second change concerns the ‘edited register’. The edited register is a list of names and addresses that we are required by law to sell. If electors do not want us to sell their personal details, they have to tell us (this is called being opted out). Normally we pre-print on the form what the elector has told us about their choice from the previous year, but following advice from the Electoral Commission and the Association of Electoral Administrators we will no longer be doing this. So if an elector does not want their personal details to be sold, they must tell us each and every year.

"It is quite simple to tell us; electors simply have to tick the right hand column on the form, but if the elector fails to do this, we will have no choice but to opt them back in again. It is very important that they read all parts of the form very carefully. Residents using the internet or free phone service will also have the chance to opt out as well.

"We know that sometimes people don’t return the forms immediately because they don’t understand the form or have questions about their particular circumstances. A telephone helpline is available on (0118) 974 6522 or (0118) 974 6523.  We are very happy to take your call and answer any questions."

For more information visit the elections website page.