The Local Authorities (Referendums)(Petitions)(England) Regulations 2011

Verification number

4.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), in each year the proper officer of each local authority shall, within the period of 14 days beginning with 15th February, publish the number that is equal to 5 per cent of the number of local government electors for the authority’s area shown in the revised version of the register or, as the case may be, the registers having effect for that area on that 15th February.

(2) Where the whole period of 12 months beginning with 1st April in any year to which paragraph (1) applies falls within a moratorium period, that paragraph shall not apply as respects the years in which part of that period of 12 months falls.

(3) The number published in each year in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be used for verification purposes in relation to any petition presented to the authority in the period of 12 months beginning with 1st April in that year.

(4) Where the verification number published in any year in accordance with paragraph (1) is less than the number published in the preceding year, the number to be used for verification purposes, in relation to any petition presented to the authority in the period beginning on the date of publication of the lesser number and ending immediately before 1st April in that year, shall be that lesser number.

(5) The proper officer may, in connection with the discharge of the duty imposed by paragraph (1), require an electoral registration officer to provide him or her with information relevant to the number that is to be published in accordance with that paragraph; and an electoral registration officer who receives such a request shall comply with it within the period of seven days beginning with the day on which the request is received.