Under section 55 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), a returning officer may recover charges in respect of services rendered, or expenses incurred, by the officer for or in connection with an election if the services were necessarily rendered, or the expenses necessarily incurred, for the efficient and effective conduct of a police and crime commissioner election (“PCC election”). Those charges may not however exceed the overall maximum recoverable amount specified by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with the consent of Treasury, in an order. An order may also specify the maximum amount that may be recovered in respect of any specified services or expenses.

Articles 3 to 5 of, and Schedule 1 to, this Order specify the maximum amounts for specified services and specified expenses, and the overall maximum amount, that may be recovered by a local returning officer in respect of a voting area at the PCC election scheduled for 6 May 2021, some of which are combined with other elections. A voting area is a local authority area, except where an ordinary PCC election is combined with a general election for members of the Senedd Cymru, in which case a voting area is a Senedd Cymru constituency.

Articles 3 to 5, and Schedule 2, provide maximum recoverable amounts for PCC elections taken alone following 6th May 2021 to fill a vacancy in the office of PCC.

Articles 6 to 8 and Schedule 3 specify the overall maximum amount and the maximum amounts for specified services and specified expenses that may be recovered by a police area returning officer in respect of a police area at a PCC election.

Article 9 specifies the maximum amounts that may be recovered (instead of the amounts referred to above) where an election is uncontested.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.