A WORCESTER law firm has helped develop the election process across the country.

The corporate team at Harrison Clark LLP recently acted as legal advisers in the sale of IT electoral roll software company Xpress Software Solutions to Electoral Reform Services.

An innovative player in the elections arena, Xpress, formally Stroud Information Services, a local government department of Stroud District Council, has been developing and marketing high quality electoral registration and election management software since 1999.

The firm’s clients include all local government authorities from across the UK, ranging from smaller rural district councils to large metropolitan and London borough councils. The new owner, Electoral Reform Services Ltd, is the world’s leading independent supplier of ballots and election services. Its expertise is recognised by the United Nations and its status as an independent scrutineer of voting is authorised by the UK parliament.

It works for all kinds of companies, not-for-profit organisations and government bodies and also provides most of the UK’s official electoral registration officers and returning officers with the specialist supplies and services they need to run parliamentary, local and European elections.

The team at Harrison Clark was led by Inger Woolhouse, partner in the corporate department, who acted for the vendors, Nicholas Crump and Mark Laybourne who will continue to manage the business.

Harrison Clark provided legal advice to protect the sellers’ position pre and post sale ensuring that the transaction ran smoothly.

Mr Crump said: “Our services integrate fully with Electoral Reform Services and working alongside them we should be able to grow and develop even further for the mutual benefit of both companies.

“We would like to extend our thanks to Inger Woolhouse at Harrison Clark and Gavin Gardiner at Worcester-based Gardiner Fosh who acted as the lead financial adviser adding his expertise to what was a well-organised exit management team.”