The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Council Tax Increases) (England) Regulations 2012

Restriction on publication etc of promotional material

10.—(1) This regulation applies to any material which—

(a) provides general information about the referendum;

(b) deals with any of the issues raised by the question to be asked in the referendum; or

(c) puts any arguments for or against a particular answer to that question.

(2) No material to which this regulation applies is to be published by or on behalf of an authority during the period of restriction.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to—

(a) material made available to persons in response to specific requests for information or to persons specifically seeking access to it;

(b) the publication of information relating to the holding of the poll at the referendum;

(c) the publication of press notices containing factual information where the sole purpose of the publication is to refute or correct any inaccuracy in material published by a person other than the authority;

(d) material published in accordance with regulations 4 to 7 or 11; or

(e) material published in accordance with the Council Tax (Demand Notices) (England) Regulations 2011(1).

(4) In this regulation “publish” means make available to the public at large, or to any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (including, in particular, by inclusion in any programme included in a programme service within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1990(2)); and publication is to be construed accordingly.

(5) The period of restriction begins on the date on which an authority determines that its relevant basic amount of council tax for the relevant financial year is excessive under section 52ZB and ends on the date of the referendum.

(1)

S.I. 2011/3038.

(2)

1990 c 42. Section 201, containing the definition of programme service, was amended by section 360 of and Schedule 19 to the Communications Act 2003 (c. 21).