The Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006

Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under section 201(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2006 No.

Representation of the people

The Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006

Made

Date

Coming into force

1 January 2007

These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by section 18C and paragraphs 3(3) and 7 of Schedule A1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983(1), having regard to the definition of “prescribed” in section 202(1) of that Act.

The Secretary of State has consulted the Electoral Commission about these Regulations in accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(e) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(2);

In accordance with section 201(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983(3), a draft of this instrument has been laid before and approved by resolution of each House of Parliament;

Accordingly, the Secretary of State makes the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and extent

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006 and shall come into force on 1 January 2007.

2.  These Regulations extend to England and Wales and Scotland only.

Manner of publication of representations

3.  A relevant authority must, within 30 days of receipt, publish representations made by a returning officer for the purposes of the review of polling districts or polling places—

(a) by posting a copy of them at its office and in at least one conspicuous place in their area; and

(b) if the authority maintains a website, by placing a copy on the authority’s website.

Information to be published on completion of a review

4.  On completion of a review the authority must publish the following—

(a) all correspondence sent to a returning officer in connection with the review;

(b) all correspondence sent to any person whom the authority thinks has particular expertise in relation to access to premises or facilities for persons who have different forms of disability;

(c) all representations made by any person in connection with the review;

(d) the minutes of any meeting held by the authority to consider any revision to the designation of polling districts or polling places within its area as a result of the review;

(e) details of the designation of polling districts or polling places within its area as a result of the review;

(f) details of the places where the results of the review have been published.

Signed by authority of the Secretary of State

Name

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Department for Constitutional Affairs

Date

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

Under sections 18A to 18E of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c.2), as amended by the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), an authority is required to keep the designation of polling places and polling districts within its area under review. Schedule A1 of the 1983 Act, as inserted by the Electoral Administration Act, requires certain matters to be prescribed in regulations. These Regulations specify the manner in which representations made by a returning officer in connection with the review are to be published by a relevant authority and specify the information that a relevant authority must publish on the completion of a review. The term “relevant authority” is defined in section 18E of the 1983 Act as being in relation to England, the council of a district or London borough, in relation to Scotland, a local authority and in relation to Wales, the council of a county or county borough.

(1)

1983 c. 2; section 18C and Schedule A1 were inserted by section 16 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c.22).

(2)

2000 c. 41.

(3)

Section 201(2) was substituted by paragraph 69 of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) and amended by paragraph 6 of Schedule 21 to the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act (c. 41) and article 5(b) of S.I. 1991/1728.