James Grundy MP: ID now required to cast your vote

You can use any of the following accepted forms of photo ID when voting:

• Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country.
• Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence).
• A Blue Badge.
• Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom.
• Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom.
• Oyster 60+ Card funded by the Government of the United Kingdom.
• Freedom Pass.
• Scottish National Entitlement Card.
• 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card.
• Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card.
• Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland. l Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
• War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
• 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
• Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
• Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card).
• Biometric immigration document. l Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card).
• National identity card issued by an EEA state.
• Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland

You will only need to show one form of photo ID.

It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.

If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, if: you don't have an accepted form of photo ID, you're not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you or you're worried about using an existing form of ID for any other reason. (You need to register to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate).

You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.

The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.

The local elections this year are extremely important because, unlike in a regular local elections in our borough where only a third of councillors are up for election, this year, due to new ward boundaries, all 75 local councillors are up for election.

The last time this happened in 2004, we saw significant changes to the political make-up of the council, so this year its more important than ever to go out and cast your vote.

Please don’t leave it to others to vote, they may be leaving it to you.