Representation of the People Act 1983

Valid from 01/01/2007

[F1 18D Review of polling districts and places: representations to Electoral Commission U.K.

(1) This section applies if in relation to a constituency in the area of a relevant authority a relevant representation is made to the Electoral Commission by—

(a) an interested authority in England and Wales;

(b) not less than 30 electors in the constituency;

(c) a person (other than the returning officer) who has made representations under Schedule A1;

(d) a person who is not an elector in a constituency in the authority's area but who the Commission think has sufficient interest in the accessibility of disabled persons to polling places in the area or has particular expertise in relation to the access to premises or facilities of disabled persons.

(2) A relevant representation is a representation that a review under section 18A or 18B has not been conducted by a relevant authority so as to—

(a) meet the reasonable requirements of the electors in the constituency or any body of those electors, or

(b) take sufficient account of the accessibility to disabled persons of polling stations within a designated polling place.

(3) The returning officer for the constituency may make observations on representations made under this section.

(4) The Electoral Commission must consider such representations and observations and may, if they think fit—

(a) direct the relevant authority to make any alterations to the polling places designated by the review which the Commission think necessary in the circumstances;

(b) if the authority fails to make the alterations before the end of the period of two months starting on the day the direction is given, make the alterations themselves.

(5) Alterations made by the Electoral Commission under subsection (4) have effect as if they had been made by the relevant authority.

(6) An interested authority in relation to a constituency in England and Wales is—

(a) in England, the council of a parish, or where there is no such council the parish meeting of a parish, which is wholly or partly situated within the constituency;

(b) in Wales, the council of a community which is so situated.

(7) The reference in subsection (1)(b) to electors does not include persons who have an anonymous entry in the register of parliamentary electors or local government electors.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 18A-18E substituted (1.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) for s. 18 by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 16(1), 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(c) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/1316, arts 2, 4