The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (Wales) Regulations 2001

Procedure on receipt of petition

11.—(1) As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of a petition, the proper officer shall—

(a) if paragraph (3) of regulation 8 applies in relation to the petition, notify the petition organiser of each of the constituent petitions, of the petition date of the amalgamated petition; or

(b) in any other case, notify the petition organiser of the petition date.

(2) As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of a petition, and not later than the end of the notice period, the proper officer shall determine the validity of the petition.

(3) Where the petition is a second (or subsequent) petition (“later petition”) which cannot lawfully be amalgamated with an earlier petition for a reason mentioned in paragraph (4), (5) or (6) of regulation 8, the proper officer shall take steps specified in paragraph (4) below, and such other steps as the National Assembly for Wales may direct.

(4) The steps specified in this paragraph are that, within the notice period, the proper officer—

(a) shall notify the National Assembly for Wales and the petition organiser—

(i) of the receipt of the petition and of its petition date;

(ii) of the receipt of every earlier petition and of its petition date;

(iii) of the reason why the later petition cannot be amalgamated with any earlier petition; and

(iv) that, by reason of the receipt of an earlier valid petition, the proper officer proposes to take no further action in relation to the later petition; and

(b) shall notify the petition organiser that the petition organiser may, within the period of two months beginning with the date of the notice, request the National Assembly for Wales to consider the exercise of any power conferred on it by regulation 18.