The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012

The count

37.—(1) Where the counting officer at the referendum is the relevant returning or counting officer, the counting officer must—

(a) in the presence of the counting observers appointed for the purposes of the poll at the referendum and the election agents and counting agents or observers appointed for the purposes of the poll at each relevant election, open each ballot box and record separately the number of ballot papers used in the referendum and each relevant election;

(b) in the presence of the counting observers appointed for the purposes of the poll at the referendum and the election agents and counting agents or observers appointed for the purposes of the poll at each relevant election, verify each ballot paper account; and

(c) count such of the postal ballot papers as have been duly returned and record separately the number counted at the referendum and each relevant election;

(d) separate the ballot papers relating to the referendum from the ballot papers relating to each relevant election;

(e) make up into packets the ballot papers for the referendum and each relevant election and seal them up in separate containers endorsing on each a description of the areas to which the ballot paper relates;

(f) deliver or cause to be delivered to the counting officer for the referendum or the returning officer or counting officer for the relevant election to which the ballot paper relates—

(i) those containers, together with a list of them and of the contents of each; and

(ii) the ballot paper accounts together with, in the case of each such account, a copy of the statement as to the result of their verification in respect of that referendum or election; and

(g) at the same time deliver or cause to be delivered to that officer packets that so relate containing—

(i) the unused and spoilt ballot papers,

(ii) the tendered ballot papers, and

(iii) the certificates as to employment on duty on the day of the poll.

(2) Where separate ballot boxes are used, no vote for any candidate or answer is rendered invalid by the ballot paper being placed in the incorrect ballot box.

(3) After completion of the proceedings under paragraph (1), the counting officer must mix together all of the ballot papers used at the referendum and count the votes given on them.

(4) Where the counting officer at the referendum is not the relevant returning or counting officer, the counting officer must—

(a) on receipt of containers from the relevant returning or counting officer, and no earlier than the time specified in the notice given under rule 36(2)(b), in the presence of the counting observers open each container;

(b) where proceedings on the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers are not taken together with such proceedings at a relevant election, count such of the postal ballot papers as have been duly returned and record the number counted; and mix together the postal ballot papers and the ballot papers from all of the containers and count the votes given on them,

and paragraph (11) does not apply to these proceedings.

(5) A postal ballot paper must not be taken to be duly returned unless—

(a) it is returned in the manner set out in paragraph (6) and reaches the relevant returning or counting officer or any polling station in the appropriate area before the close of the poll;

(b) the postal voting statement, duly signed, is also returned in the manner set out in paragraph (6) and reaches the relevant returning or counting officer or such a polling station before that time;

(c) the postal voting statement also states the date of birth of a voter or proxy; and

(d) in a case where steps for verifying the date of birth and signature of a voter or proxy have been prescribed by regulations made under the 1983 Act, the relevant returning or counting officer (having taken such steps) verifies that date of birth and that signature.

(6) The manner in which any postal ballot paper or postal voting statement may be returned—

(a) to the relevant returning or counting officer, is by hand or by post;

(b) to a polling station, is by hand.

(7) The appropriate area in respect of any voter or proxy is—

(a) the area which is common to the parliamentary constituency, electoral area, local counting area, local authority area or voting area (as case may be) in which the polls at the referendum and any relevant election are being taken together; and

(b) in respect of which polls the voter or proxy has been issued with a postal ballot paper.

(8) In paragraphs (5)(a) and (d) and (6)(a) for “relevant returning or counting officer” substitute “counting officer” where proceedings on the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers at the referendum are not taken together with such proceedings at one or more relevant elections.

(9) The counting officer must not count any tendered ballot paper.

(10) The—

(a) relevant returning or counting officer, in respect of the proceedings under paragraph (1); and

(b) counting officer, while counting the votes,

must keep the ballot papers with their faces upwards and take all proper precautions for preventing any person from seeing the numbers or other unique identifying marks printed on the back of the papers.

(11) The relevant returning or counting officer must verify each ballot paper account by comparing it with the number of ballot papers recorded by the officer, and the unused and spoilt ballot papers in the officer’s possession and the tendered votes list (opening and resealing the packets containing the unused and spoilt ballot papers and the tendered votes list) and must draw up a statement as to the result of the verification, which any counting observer may copy.

(12) Where the referendum area comprises any part of the area of more than one relevant council, as soon as is practicable after the relevant returning or counting officer has drawn up the statement as to the result of the verification, the relevant returning or counting officer must inform the Chief Counting Officer of its content.

(13) The—

(a) relevant returning or counting officer, in respect of the proceedings under paragraph (1), and

(b) counting officer, in respect of the counting of votes,

must so far as practicable proceed continuously, allowing only time for refreshment, except that they may exclude the hours between 7 in the evening and 9 on the following morning.

(14) During the time so excluded the relevant returning or counting officer or counting officer (as the case may be) must—

(a) place the ballot papers and other documents relating to the referendum under the officer’s own seal and the seals of such of the counting observers as desire to affix their seals; and

(b) otherwise take proper precautions for the security of the papers and documents.