Elections Act 2001

Northern Ireland

2 Postponement of local elections in Northern Ireland

(1) The election day for local elections in Northern Ireland is postponed from 16th May 2001 to 7th June 2001.

(2) A person validly nominated as a candidate at an election to which this section applies does not have to be nominated again for that election.

(3) The limit on the election expenses of any candidate at an election to which this section applies is increased by 50% (whenever he was nominated).

3 Combination of polls

(1) Section 15 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50) (which requires polls for different elections to be taken together if they are to be taken on the same day) shall extend to Northern Ireland.

(2) In section 15 of the 1985 Act insert the following subsection after subsection (5)—

“(6) In its application to Northern Ireland, subsection (1) above shall have effect as if the references to an ordinary local government election were to a local election.”

(3) In consequence of subsection (1) above, in section 29(5) of the 1985 Act (which excepts certain sections from the extension to Northern Ireland, including sections 15 to 18) for “15 to 18” substitute “16 to 18”.

(4) In section 84 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (c. 47) (power to make provision by Order in Council in relation to certain matters relating to Northern Ireland) after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A) The power in subsection (1) includes power to make provision with respect to polls at elections for district councillors when they are combined with polls at other elections.”

4 Modification of election provisions

The Schedule modifies provisions relating to parliamentary elections and local elections in cases where the polls for such elections are to be taken together in Northern Ireland.

5 Finance

(1) This section applies if the polls at the following elections in Northern Ireland are combined under section 15 of the Representation of the People Act 1985—

(a) any parliamentary general election for which the date of the poll is 7th June 2001, and

(b) the local elections for which the election day is that date.

(2) Section 15(4) of that Act (cost of combined polls to be apportioned equally among the elections) does not apply.

(3) Section 29 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (charges of returning officer in connection with parliamentary election charged on Consolidated Fund) applies as if the reference in subsection (3) to a parliamentary election were to the elections referred to in subsection (1) above.

(4) The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 (S.I. 1997/774) is to be taken to apply to the elections referred to in subsection (1) above and references to an election or a parliamentary election in that Order are to be construed accordingly.

(5) Part A of the Schedule to that Order is modified as follows—

(a) the amount specified in the right-hand column in paragraph 1(2) (maximum recoverable expenses in respect of presiding officers) is increased by £67.25;

(b) the amount specified in the right-hand column in paragraph 1(3) (increase in maximum recoverable expenses in respect of only one presiding officer at certain polling stations) is increased by £3.02;

(c) the amount specified in the right-hand column in paragraph 2(2) (maximum recoverable expenses in respect of poll clerks) is increased by £34.80.

(6) References to the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997 include references to that Order as amended whether the amendment is made before or after this section comes into force.