The Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004

Modifications for 2004

7.—(1) This regulation shall have effect for the purposes of the European Parliamentary general election in 2004, the ordinary Authority election in 2004 the poll at which is to be taken together with the poll at that election and any other election or referendum the poll at which is to be taken together with the poll at the European Parliamentary election.

(2) In the case of the London electoral region—

(a) section 6(2)(1) of the 2002 Act shall not apply; and

(b) the returning officer for that electoral region shall be the GLRO,

but for all purposes he shall be treated as if he were the returning officer by virtue of provision made under section 6(2) of the 2002 Act.

(3) In the case of the London electoral region—

(a) in addition to any deputy the returning officer may appoint under regulation 7 of the 2004 Regulations, there shall be a designated deputy returning officer (“the designated deputy”);

(b) the designated deputy shall be the person who is the acting returning officer for the parliamentary constituency of Croydon Central;

(c) the designated deputy shall be entitled to recover charges in respect of services properly rendered by him as if he were a returning officer for the London electoral region, but for all other purposes he shall be treated as if he were a deputy appointed under regulation 7 of the 2004 Regulations.

(4) In the definition of a local counting area in regulation 2 of the 2004 Regulations so far as it applies to England and Wales the reference to a parliamentary constituency shall have effect as if it were a reference to—

(a) a district in England or a London borough;

(b) the City of London (including the Inner and Middle Temples), the Isle of Wight or the Isles of Scilly; or

(c) a county or county borough in Wales.

(5) In relation to each local counting area in England and Wales (within the meaning of paragraph (4))—

(a) section 6(5A)(a) of the 2002 Act and regulation 6(2) of the 2004 Regulations shall not apply; and

(b) the local returning officer for that local counting area shall be—

(i) except in the City of London local counting area, the person who is the returning officer for elections of councillors or for elections of London borough councillors (as the case may be) of the local government area that is coterminous with the local counting area; and

(ii) in the City of London local counting area, the person who is the returning officer at an election of a constituency member of the London Assembly for the Assembly constituency which includes the area of the City of London,

but for all purposes he shall be treated as if he were the local returning officer for that local counting area by virtue of section 6(5A)(a) of the 2002 Act and regulation 6(2) of the 2004 Regulations.

(6) Regulation 65 of the 2001 Regulations, and—

(a) that regulation as applied by regulations made under sections 44 and 105 or 45 and 105 of the 2000 Act; and

(b) paragraph 27 of Schedule 2 to the 2004 Regulations,

shall have effect as if for the words “may” to “agree” there were substituted the word “must”.

(7) The GLRO may include in an election booklet prepared by him under article 7 of the Greater London Authority Elections (Election Addresses) Order 2003(2) information for voters at the European Parliamentary election in the London electoral region that has been agreed by him with the Electoral Commission—

(a) about the system of voting at the European Parliamentary election;

(b) about how to vote at that election in a manner that will ensure a vote is regarded as validly cast,

but which—

(aa) does not contain any advertising material;

(bb) does not contain any material referring to an individual candidate or a registered party standing at the election or to the holder, at any time, of the office of member of the European Parliament; and

(cc) must be printed on not more than one side of A5 paper.

(8) Where the votes at the Authority election are counted by electronic means, as respects each local counting area comprised in the London electoral region the 2004 Regulations shall have effect as if Part 1 of Schedule 3 to those regulations were substituted by Schedule 1 to these Regulations.

(1)

Amended by section 20(1) and (2) of the European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003 (c. 7).

(2)

See article 8(4) of S.I. 2003/1907.