The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 2001

• Citation: S.I. 2001/1736
• Sections: 21

Section 1

(1) This Order may be cited as the Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 2001 and shall come into force on 15th May 2001.

(2) This Order shall not extend to Northern Ireland.

(3) The Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officers' Charges) Order 1997 is hereby revoked.

Section 2

(1) For the purposes of paragraph (a) of section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (which provides that a returning officer is entitled to recover his charges in respect of services properly rendered or expenses properly incurred for or in connection with a parliamentary election if the services or expenses are of a kind specified in an order made under that provision and the charges are reasonable)—

(a) services of a kind described in paragraph 1 of Part A of the Schedule to this Order (hereinafter referred to as “services specified in Part A of the Schedule”);

(b) expenses of a kind described in paragraphs 1(1), 2(1) and 3(1) of Part B of the Schedule to this Order (hereinafter referred to as “expenses specified in Part B of the Schedule”); and

(c) expenses of a kind described in Part C of the Schedule to this Order,

are hereby specified.

(2) The maximum recoverable amounts at a contested election in respect of the services specified in Part A of the Schedule or the expenses specified in Part B of the Schedule are hereby specified as the amounts set out in the right-hand column of those Parts in respect of each entry set out opposite thereto in the left-hand column of those Parts.

(3) The maximum recoverable amounts at an uncontested election are hereby specified as—

(a) £408.11 in respect of the services specified in Part A of the Schedule, and

(b) £1007.97 in respect of the expenses specified in Part B of the Schedule.

(4) In the Schedule to this Order—

(a) “election” means a parliamentary election,

(b) “combined polls” refers to the poll at a parliamentary election and the poll at some other election when they are taken together under section 15(1) or (2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 , and

(c) any reference to the register of electors is to the register of electors used at the election at which the services were rendered or expenses incurred and to that register as it has effect on the last day for publication of notice of the election.

Section 1

For a returning officer’s services in conducting the election and discharging his duties in connection therewith and in connection with the issue and receipt of the ballot papers for persons entitled to vote by post, the maximum recoverable amount (subject to paragraph 2 or 3 of this Part) is—

Section 1

—

(1) For a returning officer’s expenses in respect of the payment of presiding officers at polling stations, including expenses incurred in respect of a person who takes over the duties of a presiding officer on polling day due to the incapacity of the previously appointed presiding officer, in respect of the presiding officer at each polling station, the maximum recoverable amount (subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) below), is—

Section 1

Travelling and overnight subsistence expenses of—

(a) the returning officer;

(b) any person appointed under section 28(5) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 or placed at the returning officer’s disposal under section 25(2) of that Act ;

(c) any presiding officer or poll clerk;

(d) any clerical or other assistants employed by the returning officer.

Section 2

For each constituency where there are combined polls for the conduct of which the returning officer is responsible, the maximum recoverable amount is increased by—

Section 2

—

(1) For a returning officer’s expenses in respect of the payment of poll clerks at polling stations, the maximum recoverable amount (subject to sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) below) for the expenses in respect of each poll clerk is—

Section 2

Expenses in printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers.

Section 3

Where, at a general election, a returning officer is responsible for more than three constituencies, the maximum recoverable amount is reduced—

Section 3

—

(1) The maximum recoverable amount for a returning officer’s expenses in respect of the payment of persons employed—

(a) in connection with the preparation, revision and issue of the official poll cards, and

(b) in connection with the issue and receipt of postal ballot papers and the count and any other clerical or other assistance for the purposes of the election,

is, subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) below—

Section 3

Expenses in printing or otherwise producing the official poll cards and in delivering them to the voters, excluding the expenses referred to in paragraph 3(1) of Part B of this Schedule.

Section 4

Expenses in printing or otherwise producing and, where appropriate, publishing notices and other documents required by the Representation of the People Acts.

Section 5

Expenses in renting, heating, lighting and cleaning any building or room.

Section 6

Expenses in adapting any building or room and in restoring it to a fit condition for its normal use.

Section 7

Expenses in the provision of voting compartments and any other furniture necessary for polling stations.

Section 8

Expenses in the provision of ballot boxes and instruments to stamp on the ballot papers the official mark.

Section 9

Expenses in the conveyance to and from the polling stations of—

(a) the ballot boxes and ballot papers, and

(b) the voting compartments, any other furniture necessary for polling stations and the instruments to stamp on the ballot papers the official mark.

Section 10

Expenses in the provision of stationery and writing implements and in postage, telephone and bank charges and other miscellaneous items.

Section 11

Expenses in the provision to each polling station of the large version of the ballot paper and of the prescribed device for assisting voters with disabilities.

Section 12

Expenses in connection with the provision of security measures.

Section 13

In a constituency in Scotland, expenses in the supply of copies of the register of electors for use in the conduct of the election.