Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

Right to use rooms for holding public meetings E+W+S

2 (1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, persons authorised by a designated organisation are entitled for the purpose of holding public meetings in furtherance of the organisation’s referendum campaign to the use free of charge, at reasonable times during the relevant period, of— E+W+S

(a) a suitable room in the premises of a school to which this paragraph applies in accordance with sub-paragraph (2);

(b) any meeting room to which this paragraph applies in accordance with sub-paragraph (3).

• For this purpose “the relevant period” means the period of 28 days ending with the day before the date of the poll.

(2) This paragraph applies—

(a) in England and Wales, to community, foundation and voluntary schools whose premises are situated in the referendum area, and

(b) in Scotland, to any school whose premises are so situated, other than an independent school within the meaning of the M1 Education (Scotland) Act 1980.

(3) This paragraph applies to meeting rooms situated in the referendum area the expense of maintaining which is payable wholly or mainly out of public funds or by any local authority, or by a body whose expenses are so payable.

(4) Where a room is used for a meeting in pursuance of the rights conferred by this paragraph, the person by whom or on whose behalf the meeting is convened—

(a) shall defray any expenses incurred in preparing, warming, lighting and cleaning the room and providing attendance for the meeting and restoring the room to its usual condition after the meeting; and

(b) shall defray any damage done to the room or the premises in which it is situated, or to the furniture, fittings or apparatus in the room or premises.

(5) A person is not entitled to exercise the rights conferred by this paragraph except on reasonable notice; and this paragraph does not authorise any interference with the hours during which a room in school premises is used for educational purposes, or any interference with the use of a meeting room either for the purposes of the person maintaining it or under a prior agreement for its letting for any purpose.

(6) For the purposes of this paragraph (except those of paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (4)), the premises of a school shall not be taken to include any private dwelling, and in this paragraph—

• “dwelling” includes any part of a building where that part is occupied separately as a dwelling;

• “meeting room” means any room which it is the practice to let for public meetings; and

• “room” includes a hall, gallery or gymnasium.

(7) In this paragraph “the referendum area” means the area throughout which the referendum is being held.

(8) Neither this paragraph, nor paragraph 3, applies to Northern Ireland.

Commencement Information

I1 Sch. 12 wholly in force at 16.2.2001; Sch. 12 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 163(2); Sch. 12 in force at 16.2.2001 by S.I. 2001/222, art. 2, Sch. 1 Pt. I (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 1 Pt. II)

Marginal Citations

M1 1980 c. 44.