The Senedd Cymru (Caerphilly Constituency By-election) (Returning Officer’s Charges) Order 2025

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2025 No. 1056 (W. 178)

Representation Of The People, Wales

Senedd Cymru

The Senedd Cymru (Caerphilly Constituency By-election) (Returning Officer’s Charges) Order 2025

Made

1 October 2025

Coming into force

2 October 2025

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by article 23(1D) and (2) of the National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2007(1), make the following Order.

Title, commencement and application

1.—(1) The title of this Order is the Senedd Cymru (Caerphilly Constituency By-election) (Returning Officer’s Charges) Order 2025.

(2) This Order comes into force on 2 October 2025.

(3) This Order applies in relation to the by-election to be held on 23 October 2025 to fill the vacant seat in the Caerphilly constituency of Senedd Cymru.

(4) The Senedd Cymru (Returning Officers’ Charges) Order 2021(2) does not apply in relation to the by-election referred to in paragraph (3).

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“by-election” (“is-etholiad”) means the by-election to be held on 23 October 2025 to fill the vacant seat in the Caerphilly constituency of Senedd Cymru;

“returning officer” (“swyddog canlyniadau”) means the returning officer for the Caerphilly constituency of Senedd Cymru, as determined in accordance with article 18(2) of the National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2007.

Overall maximum recoverable amount at a contested by-election

3.  If the by-election is contested, the overall maximum amount the returning officer may recover for services rendered and expenses incurred for, or in connection with, the by-election is £222,070 (two hundred and twenty-two thousand and seventy pounds).

Maximum recoverable amount for services rendered at a contested by-election

4.—(1) If the by-election is contested, the total amount the returning officer may recover for services rendered for, or in connection with, the by-election must not exceed £5,920 (five thousand nine hundred and twenty pounds).

(2) Any services rendered must be for, or in connection with—

(a) making arrangements for the by-election;

(b) conducting the by-election;

(c) discharging all of the returning officer’s and electoral administrator’s duties in respect of the by-election.

Maximum recoverable amount for expenses incurred at a contested by-election

5.—(1) If the by-election is contested, the total amount the returning officer may recover for expenses incurred for, or in connection with, the by-election must not exceed £216,150 (two hundred and sixteen thousand and one hundred and fifty pounds).

(2) The returning officer may recover expenses incurred for, or in connection with—

(a) the appointment and payment of persons to assist the returning officer;

(b) travel and overnight subsistence for the returning officer and any person appointed to assist the returning officer;

(c) the costs of the nomination process;

(d) printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers;

(e) printing or otherwise producing or purchasing postal vote stationery;

(f) printing or otherwise producing, and arranging for the delivery of, poll cards;

(g) printing or otherwise producing and publishing all election notices and documents;

(h) renting, heating, lighting, cleaning, adapting or restoring any building or room;

(i) providing and transporting equipment;

(j) providing information and communications technology equipment and software, and associated costs;

(k) providing security, including secure storage of ballot boxes, ballot papers and verification documents;

(l) conducting the verification and the count;

(m) providing and receiving training;

(n) providing stationery and meeting postage, telephone, printing, translation and banking costs and the costs of other miscellaneous items.

Overall maximum recoverable amount for an uncontested by-election

6.  If the by-election is uncontested, the overall maximum amount the returning officer may recover for services rendered and expenses incurred for, or in connection with, the by-election is £2,215 (two thousand two hundred and fifteen pounds).

Jayne Bryant

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers

1 October 2025

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

A vacancy has occurred in the Caerphilly constituency of Senedd Cymru. In accordance with section 10(2) of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), as saved by section 24(1) of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (asc 4), a by-election will be held to fill this constituency vacancy on 23 October 2025.

This Order contains the maximum amounts the returning officer may recover for services rendered and expenses incurred for, or in connection with, the conduct of that by-election.

Articles 3, 4 and 5 of this Order specify the maximum amounts for services rendered and expenses incurred for, or in connection with, the by-election if the by-election is contested. The amount recoverable for services rendered is concerned with electoral administration and the discharge of duties relating to the by-election by the returning officer and electoral administrators.

Article 6 specifies the maximum amount if the by-election is uncontested.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to this Order. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with this Order.

(1)

S.I. 2007/236. Paragraph (1D) was inserted by S.I. 2020/1558 (W. 329). S.I. 2007/236 was revoked on 18 July 2025 by S.I. 2025/864 (W. 150), see article 1(3) and paragraph 1 of Schedule 12, but in accordance with article 1(4) and (5) of S.I. 2025/864 (W. 150), S.I. 2007/236 continues to have effect in relation to members returned to Senedd Cymru at a general election the poll for which is held on or before 6 April 2026. As such, the provisions of S.I. 2007/236 continue to have effect in relation to the constituency seat that has become vacant and the by-election that is held to fill that vacancy.

(2)

S.I. 2021/315 (W. 80). That S.I. was revoked on 18 July 2025 by S.I. 2025/864 (W. 150), see article 1(3) and paragraph 10 of Schedule 12, but in accordance with article 1(4) and (5) of S.I. 2025/864 (W. 150), S.I. 2021/315 continues to have effect in relation to members returned to Senedd Cymru at a general election the poll for which is held on or before 6 April 2026.