Proposed TIF bid referendum question revealed

The proposed preamble and question for the Greater Manchester Transport Referendum has been published this morning (Monday 20 October).

It has been drawn up by Sir Neil McIntosh, the independent Returning Officer for the referendum, with advice from experienced lawyers and guided by the Electoral Commission's established guidelines on referenda questions.

Sir Neil met with a sub group of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities Executive Board earlier this week to present his proposals and will now submit his recommended question to the next meeting of the AGMA Executive Board on 31 October where the leaders of the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities will be asked to approve it.

Ballot papers will be sent out in late November with a short leaflet explaining the Transport Innovation Fund Proposals, which will include explanations of both the major public transport improvements and the weekday, peak time only congestion charging scheme.

The proposed preamble to the question reads: "Please read the leaflet enclosed with this ballot paper which provides details of the Greater Manchester Transport Innovation Fund proposals. These involve both major investment in public transport improvements in Greater Manchester and a weekday, peak time only, congestion charging scheme. Congestion charging would only be introduced after 80% of the public transport improvements are in place and not before the summer of 2013."

The question reads: "Do you agree with the Transport Innovation Fund proposals?"

Voters then have two options:

YES, I VOTE FOR THE PROPOSALS

NO, I VOTE AGAINST THE PROPOSALS

Sir Neil McIntosh said: "I believe this is a fair, clear and balanced question. In drawing it up I had to ensure that it accurately reflected fundamental aspects of the proposals and did not lead people in one direction or the other. I concluded that a straightforward 'yes' or 'no' question was the easiest to understand. However, I consider that it is also necessary for this to be accompanied by accurate neutral information explaining the proposals."