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PART 4Ballot for the purpose of section 57 of the Act

Ballot result

Observer of ballot result

10.—(1) Before sending the ballot papers in accordance with regulation 8(3), the Part 5 community body must appoint an observer to oversee, in person—

(a)the opening and counting of the votes made on the completed ballot papers, and

(b)the recording of the result.

(2) The observer must—

(a)be an individual who is independent of the Part 5 community body, and

(b)sign a declaration in the form specified in schedule 4 confirming that the person oversaw, in person, the opening and counting of the votes made on the completed ballot papers and the recording of the ballot result.

Publication of ballot result

11.—(1) The Part 5 community body must, within the period of 14 days beginning on the date of the ballot deadline, publish the result of the ballot in the form and manner provided for in paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) The result of the ballot must—

(a)be published in the form specified in schedule 3, and

(b)include or be accompanied by information where specified in that schedule.

(3) The result of the ballot must be published—

(a)in a digital or paper edition of a newspaper circulating in the area where the community is located, and

(b)on any publicly accessible webpage or website that is operated by or on behalf of the Part 5 community body, if such a webpage or website exists.

Form of return to the Scottish Ministers of the ballot result

12.  For the purposes of section 57(5) of the Act, a return to the Scottish Ministers notifying the matters mentioned in section 57(5)(a) to (d) must be in the form specified in schedule 4.