So why has the government changed the law about voting in polling stations? Why will it now be necessary to take an approved form of identification with you? Does it really matter?

It's not that there's any widespread evidence nationally of identification fraud.

In 2019, when the last General Election was held, across the UK 595 cases of alleged electoral fraud were investigated by the police, according to the Electoral Commission. Of these cases, just four have led to a conviction.

As far as I know, there is no evidence whatsoever that there have ever been any attempts at identity fraud in polling stations in our town. None whatsoever.

It's true that the government said it would introduce this photo ID law in its December 2019 manifesto.

But on the same page in that manifesto it said there would be a commission opened within the first 12 months of the new administration to review the UK's constitution such as it is.

"Above all else, whatever your age, please don't let your vote ever be taken for granted"

A review that would, presumably, have included our electoral systems as well as our various structures of government and access to them. Like so many other things, nationally and locally, that commitment seems to have been delayed.

Concerns about the new process for voting have been expressed by many people. From the chairman of the Local Government Association to the chief executive of Warwick District Council.

Extra work is needed to produce the new Voter Authority Certificate, extra briefings for polling station staff and, in some places, there'll be extra security staff. All of which costs time and money.

If communities are to thrive as places to live and learn, to work and visit, it requires people to take part in how their community is run. And part of that involves as many people as possible taking part in elections, from age 18 to 118.

Presumably this is what the government itself, and our MP who supports photo ID, would want too.

Results and turnourts for the last Warwick District Council elections (image via WDC website)

Because it said in its 2019 manifesto that it wanted to see as many people as possible engaged in politics.

In the past four years our local town council has broken the mould of politics in Kenilworth by working together on so many issues, such as climate change and tourism. In unanimously passing the motion proposed this month by Liberal Democrats to ensure local residents are aware of the change in voting rules we have continued this approach.

Historically voter turnout in elections in Kenilworth has been relatively high; in the 2019 General Election it was 77 per cent compared with the national average of 67 per cent although in local elections the turnout is rarely above 50 per cent.

Some people may see the voter ID issue as a distraction from more pressing issues such as responding to the cost-of-living crisis and the climate change emergency. It may be so.

There's also, and rightly, a lot of talk about the need to level up in our country. Levelling up in opportunity, income, wealth, housing, access to education, justice, health and social care and transport. Levelling up which should be strategic, not benevolent.

And levelling up also in terms of voting rates. Evidence (see below from Bath University) shows a gap of more than 30 per cent in the rate of voting between people aged under 35 and those aged 60+.

A gap that's grown from under 10 per cent 50 years ago. This yawning gap in voting rates cannot be healthy.

Instead of making it harder for people to vote, as this photo ID law will do, we should be encouraging and enabling even more people to vote. That's why the law change matters.

At the moment it seems that relatively fewer people aged 35 and under either trust the politicians or the political process enough to want to vote. And without trust is our various systems of national and local government by voters of all ages communities will polarise and fragment.

Bizarrely, under this photo ID law, an older person's bus pass is acceptable ID, whilst student ID cards and younger persons' railcards are not. Another discouragement for younger voters. Another reason, if one is needed, not to trust.

With such a higher turnout amongst older voters there's a risk that decisions – on issues such as tax, housing, health, climate change, education, transport, leisure facilities, childcare and children's centres - will be made that favour their concerns rather than those of voters aged under 35.

Hope for the future rests on closing this gap in voting rates.

So, look out for the council's campaign about photo ID.

For more information visit the WDC website.

And don't forget anyone aged 18 or over can apply for a postal vote – see postal voting - Warwick District Council (warwickdc.gov.uk)

Above all else, whatever your age, please don't let your vote ever be taken for granted.