The Electoral Register will be used in future by Nottingham City Council as a simpler way for people to prove they live in the city when residency is required to use certain services.

The Council’s Executive Board has approved a proposal which means that, for a range of services, which could include bulky waste collections, City Card discounts concessionary fares, housing allocations, libraries, leisure services and pest control, people will need to be registered to vote to prove they live in the city and are eligible.

The change, due to be implemented from 1 September, should also mean more people join the electoral register and are therefore able to vote in elections and referendums.

The Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Graham Chapman, said: “Currently, many services are linked to various different forms of residency test to establish whether someone is eligible to receive them.

“It makes sense to standardise and simplify this process for everyone by making being on the register the main proof of city residency. It shows that people receiving services are Nottingham citizens and it encourages as many people as possible to exercise their democratic right to vote and have their say on issues that affect them and their families.”