This section applies for the purposes of this Chapter.

The following expressions have the meanings given—

• “alternative style” has the same meaning as in sections 9 to 16A of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (see section 17A of that Act);

• “area under review”, in relation to a community governance review, means however much of the area of a principal council is subject to the review;

• “community governance petition” has the meaning given by section 80;

• “community governance review” has the meaning given by section 79;

• “electoral arrangements”, in relation to a parish council, means all of the following—

  1. a

     the year in which ordinary elections of councillors are to be held;

  2. b

     the number of councillors to be elected to the council, or (in the case of a common council) the number of councillors to be elected to the council by each parish;

  3. c

     the division (or not) of the parish, or (in the case of a common council) any of the parishes, into wards for the purpose of electing councillors;

  4. d

     the number and boundaries of any such wards;

  5. e

     the number of councillors to be elected for any such ward;

  6. f

     the name of any such ward;

• “local government elector” has the same meaning as in the Local Government Act 1972 (see section 270);

• “petition area” means the area to which a community governance petition relates;

• “principal council” means—

  1. a

     a district council in England,

  2. b

     a county council in England for an area in which there are no district councils, or

  3. c

     a London borough council;

• “reorganisation order” means an order under section 86;

• “relevant two-year period”, in relation to receipt of a community governance petition, means the period of two years ending with the day on which the petition is received by the principal council;

• “specified recommendations”, in relation to a community governance petition, means the recommendations—

  1. a

     specified in the petition, or

  2. b

     treated by section 80 as included in the recommendations specified in the petition;

• “terms of reference” has the meaning given by section 81.

A principal council “begins” a community governance review when the council publishes the terms of reference of the review.

A principal council “concludes” a community governance review when the council publishes the recommendations made in the review.