Explanatory Notes

Scottish Local Government (Elections) Act 2002

2002 asp 1

24 January 2002

The Act

Section 6 Revision of procedures in the light of pilot schemes

21.This section is concerned with the implementation of innovations that have been successfully piloted.

22.Subsection (1) enables the Scottish Ministers to make an order providing for an innovation which has been piloted to apply generally and permanently to local government elections in Scotland.  Such an order can modify or disapply any legislative provision in relation to the elections to which it will apply.

23.Subsection (2)provides that an order may exempt particular local government areas from its provisions but, otherwise, must make the same provision throughout Scotland for all the elections that it relates to.

24.Subsections (3) and (4)provide that an order must be made by statutory instrument which needs to be approved by the Scottish Parliament, and that when laying such an order the Scottish Ministers must also lay copies of the evaluation report of the relevant pilot scheme(s).

25.Subsection (5) provides that rules made under section 42 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 may make such provision as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate in connection with any order rolling out a pilot scheme.

26.Subsection (6)provides that nothing in section 5 prejudices the powers contained in other Acts to make secondary legislation relating to elections.