The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004

Retention and public inspection of documents

65.—(1) The proper officer of the council shall retain for twelve months all documents relating to a referendum forwarded to him in pursuance of these Rules by a counting officer, and then, unless otherwise directed by an order of a competent court, shall cause them to be destroyed.

(2) Those documents, except ballot papers, the list of ballot numbers issued, the list of spoilt ballot papers, the list of lost ballot papers and the list of ballots received shall, subject to paragraph (4), be open to public inspection at such time and in such manner as the proper officer may determine.

(3) The proper officer of the council shall, on request, supply copies of or extracts from the documents open to public inspection on payment of such fees and subject to such conditions as he may determine, provided that he does not supply copies of or extracts from the marked copies of the register of electors, other than for purposes connected with the referendum.

(4) A person inspecting marked copies of the register of electors may not—

(a) make copies of any part of them, or

(b) record any particulars included in them,

otherwise than by means of hand-written notes.

(5) A person who inspects marked copies of the register of electors and makes a copy of them or records any particulars in them otherwise than by means of hand-written notes shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.