The Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) Regulations 2000

Verification number

4.—(1) Not later than four weeks after the date on which these Regulations come into force, the proper officer of each local authority shall publish the number that is equal to 5 per cent. of the number of local government electors for the authority’s area as shown in the electoral register or registers published and having effect for the authority’s area for the period ending on 15th February 2001(1).

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), in each year after 2000, the proper officer of each local authority shall, within the period of 14 days beginning on the date of publication of the electoral register or registers having effect for the authority’s area(2), publish the number that is equal to 5 per cent. of the number of local government electors for the authority’s area shown in that register or, as the case may be, those registers.

(3) Where the whole of the period of 12 months beginning with 1st April in any year falls within a moratorium period, paragraph (2) shall not apply as respects the years in which part of that period of 12 months falls.

(4) Subject to paragraph (5), the number published in accordance with paragraph (1) shall be used for verification purposes in relation to any petition submitted to the authority before 1st April 2001.

(5) Where the number published in 2001 in accordance with paragraph (2) (“the number for 2001”) is less than the number published in accordance with paragraph (1), the number to be used for verification purposes in relation to any petition submitted in the period beginning with the date on which the number for 2001 is published and ending immediately before 1st April 2001 shall be the number for 2001.

(6) Subject to paragraph (7), the number published in any year after 2001 in accordance with paragraph (2) shall be used for verification purposes in relation to any petition submitted to the authority in the period of 12 months beginning with 1st April in that year.

(7) Where the number published in any year is less than the number published in the preceding year, the number to be used for verification purposes, in relation to any petition submitted to the authority in the period beginning on the date of publication of the lesser number and ending immediately before 1st April in that year, shall be that lesser number.

(8) The proper officer may, in connection with the discharge of the duties imposed by paragraphs (1) and (2), require an electoral registration officer to provide him with information relevant to the number that is to be published in accordance with either of those paragraphs; and an electoral registration officer who receives such a request shall comply with it within the period of seven days beginning with the day on which the request is received.

(1)

See section 13 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2).

(2)

Not later than 15th February; see section 13 of the Representation of the People Act 1983.