The Referendum on the Voting System (Counting Officers’ and Regional Counting Officers’ Charges) Order 2011

• Citation: S.I. 2011/1099
• Sections: 12

Section 1 Citation, commencement and extent

(1) This Order may be cited as the Referendum on the Voting System (Counting Officers’ and Regional Counting Officers’ Charges) Order 2011 and comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

(2) Articles 1, 2, 3, 9 and 11 of, and Schedule 1 to, this Order extend to the whole of the United Kingdom.

(3) Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12 of, and Schedule 2 to, this Order extend to England and Wales and Scotland only.

Section 2 Interpretation

In this Order, “the referendum” means the referendum on the voting system for United Kingdom parliamentary elections provided for in Part 1 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011.

Section 3 Counting Officers: overall maximum recoverable amount

In respect of a counting officer, the overall maximum recoverable amount specified for the referendum for each voting area is the amount listed in column 4 of the table in Schedule 1.

Section 4 Regional Counting Officers: overall maximum recoverable amount

In respect of a Regional Counting Officer, the overall maximum recoverable amount specified for the referendum for each region is the amount listed in column 4 of the table in Schedule 2.

Section 5 Counting Officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified services

(1) The total of the charges recoverable by a counting officer in respect of the specified services for the referendum shall not exceed the amount listed for each voting area in column 2 of the table in Schedule 1;

(2) For a counting officer, the specified services are those services of the description specified in article 7.

Section 6 Regional Counting Officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified services

(1) The total of the charges recoverable by a Regional Counting Officer in respect of the specified services for the referendum shall not exceed the amount listed for each region in column 2 of the table in Schedule 2;

(2) For a Regional Counting Officer, the specified services are those services of the description specified in article 8.

Section 7 Counting officers: specified services

The specified services are—

(a) conducting the referendum;

(b) discharging the counting officer’s duties at the referendum; and

(c) making arrangements for the referendum.

Section 8 Regional Counting Officers: specified services

The specified services are—

(a) discharging the Regional Counting Officer’s duties at the referendum; and

(b) making arrangements for the referendum.

Section 9 Counting officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified expenses

(1) The total of the charges recoverable by a counting officer in respect of the specified expenses for the referendum shall not exceed the amount listed for each voting area in column 3 of the table in Schedule 1;

(2) For a counting officer, the specified expenses are those expenses of the description specified in article 11.

Section 10 Regional Counting Officers: maximum recoverable amount for specified expenses

(1) The total of the charges recoverable by a Regional Counting Officer in respect of the specified expenses for the referendum shall not exceed the amount listed for each region in column 3 of the table in Schedule 2;

(2) For a Regional Counting Officer, the specified expenses are those expenses of the description specified in article 12.

Section 11 Counting officers: specified expenses

The specified expenses are—

(a) the appointment and payment of persons to assist the counting officer;

(b) travel and overnight subsistence for the counting officer and any person appointed to assist the counting officer;

(c) printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers;

(d) printing, producing or purchasing postal vote stationery;

(e) printing or otherwise producing and arranging for the delivery of poll cards;

(f) printing or otherwise producing and, where appropriate, publishing notices and any other documents required by any enactment for or in connection with the referendum;

(g) renting, heating, lighting, cleaning, adapting or restoring any building or room;

(h) providing and transporting equipment;

(i) providing information and communications technology equipment and software and associated costs;

(j) providing security, including any necessary secure storage of ballot boxes, ballot papers and verification documents;

(k) conducting the verification and the count;

(l) providing and receiving training;

(m) providing stationery and meeting postage, telephone, printing, translation and banking costs and the costs of other miscellaneous items;

(n) the identification and removal of postal votes from Royal Mail Centres and delivery of them to the counting officer; and

(o) in a voting area in Scotland, the supply of copies of the register of electors for use in the conduct of the referendum.

Section 12 Regional Counting Officers: specified expenses

The specified expenses are—

(a) the appointment and payment of persons to assist the Regional Counting Officer;

(b) travel and overnight subsistence for the Regional Counting Officer and any person appointed to assist the Regional Counting Officer;

(c) printing or otherwise producing the ballot papers;

(d) printing or otherwise producing and, where appropriate, publishing notices and any other documents required by any enactment for or in connection with the referendum;

(e) renting, heating, lighting, cleaning, adapting or restoring any building or room;

(f) providing and transporting equipment;

(g) providing training; and

(h) providing stationery and meeting postage, telephone, printing, translation and banking costs and the costs of other miscellaneous items including those which are incurred in collating the results of the referendum in voting areas within the region and submitting the regional result to the Chief Counting Officer.