11.—(1) The counting officer and the relevant returning or counting officer may use, free of charge, for the relevant purposes of taking the poll or counting the votes—
(a)a room in a school maintained or assisted by a local authority (as defined in the Education Act 1996(1)) or a school in respect of which grants are made out of moneys provided by Parliament to the person or body of persons responsible for the management of the school;
(b)a room the expense of maintaining which is payable out of any rate.
(2) That officer must make good any damage done to, and defray any expense incurred by the persons having control over, any such room as mentioned above by reason of its being used for the purpose of taking the poll or counting the votes.
(3) In paragraph (1) “relevant purposes” means—
(a)in the case of the counting officer, the counting of the votes; and
(b)in the case of the relevant returning or counting officer, the taking of the poll and the discharging of the functions under rule 37(1).