The Greater London Authority (Referendum Arrangements) Order 1998

Counting of votes etc.

10.—(1) A counting officer shall, in accordance with any directions given by the Chief Counting Officer under section 3(3)(a) of the 1998 Act—

(a) appoint and pay such persons as may be necessary for the purpose of the counting of the votes; and

(b) appoint persons to observe the counting of the votes and the verification of the ballot paper accounts (“counting observers”).

(2) A counting officer shall make arrangements for counting the votes in the presence of the counting observers as soon as practicable after the close of the poll and shall give those observers notice in writing of the time and place at which he will begin to count the votes.

(3) No person may attend the counting of votes for any voting area unless he is—

(a) the counting officer for that area;

(b) a person appointed by him under paragraph (1) above;

(c) the Chief Counting Officer;

(d) the Member of Parliament for a constituency wholly or partly within that area,

(e) permitted by the counting officer for that area to attend the count.

(4) A counting officer shall give the counting observers such reasonable facilities for observing the proceedings at the counting of votes, and all such information with respect to them, as he can give them consistently with the orderly conduct of the proceedings and the discharge of his duties in connection with them.

(5) Before a counting officer makes a certification under section 3(3)(b) of the 1998 Act, or makes any public announcement as to the result of the count, he shall consult the Chief Counting Officer.