The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012

• Citation: S.I. 2012/2031
• Sections: 303

Section 1 Citation and commencement

These Regulations may be cited as the Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 and come into force on the day after the day on which they are made.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) In these Regulations—

“ the 1983 Act ” means the Representation of the People Act 1983 ;

“ the 1990 Act ” means the Town and Country Planning Act 1990;

“ the 2004 Act ” means the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004;

“business referendum” means the additional referendum referred to in paragraph 15 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act;

“ counting observer ” means the person appointed to that position under rule 19 of the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums Rules or rule 19 of the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums (Combination of Polls) Rules;

“ counting officer ” means the person referred to in regulation 9;

“ electoral area ” has the meaning given in section 203(1) of the 1983 Act ;

...

“ GLA election ” means the election of a Mayor of London or a member of the London Assembly in accordance with Part 1 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 ;

“ local government election ” means the election of a councillor for any electoral area;

“ local referendum ” means—

a referendum under Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000 (local authority governance in England);

a referendum under Chapter 4ZA of Part 1 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (council tax increases);

“ mayoral election ” means the election for the return of an elected mayor as defined by section 9H of the Local Government Act 2000 ;

“ neighbourhood plan ” means a neighbourhood development plan as defined in section 38A of the 2004 Act;

“ police and crime commissioner election ” means the election of a police and crime commissioner in accordance with Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 ;

“ polling observer ” means the person appointed to that position under rule 19 of the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums Rules or rule 19 of the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums (Combination of Polls) Rules;

“proper officer” must be construed in accordance with section 270(3) of the Local Government Act 1972 ;

“referendum”, except in the definition “local referendum”, means a referendum required to be held as a result of paragraph 12(4) of Schedule 4B, or paragraph 10(3) of Schedule 4C, to the 1990 Act;

“ referendum period ” means the period beginning with the date on which the information statement and documents required to be published by regulation 4(1) are published and ending on the date on which the referendum is held; and

“ relevant election ” means—

a Parliamentary election;

...

a GLA election;

a local government election;

a local referendum;

a mayoral election;

a police and crime commissioner election;

“residential referendum” means the referendum referred to in paragraph 14(2) of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act.

(2) A reference in these Regulations to a neighbourhood development order includes a community right to build order except in so far as the contrary intention appears .

Section 2A Date by which referendum must be held

(1) The referendum must be held on or before the date prescribed in paragraph (2).

(2) The date prescribed in this paragraph is—

(a) where—

(i) regulation 10 applies,

(ii) regulation 16 applies, or

(iii) regulation 17 applies,

the date which is the last day of the period of 84 days beginning with the day immediately following the day on which the decision that the referendum must be held is first published in accordance with paragraph 12(11) of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act ;

(b) in all other cases, the date which is the last day of the period of 56 days beginning with the day immediately following the day on which that decision is first published in accordance with that paragraph.

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply where—

(a) the local planning authority and the qualifying body agree that the referendum need not be held by the date prescribed in paragraph (2);

(b) the poll at the referendum is taken on the same day as another poll in accordance with regulation 11 (whether or not the polls are taken together), provided that day is no later than the date 65 days from the date prescribed in paragraph (2);

(c) proceedings for questioning the decision that the referendum must be held have been brought in accordance with section 61N(2) of the 1990 Act before the date prescribed in paragraph (2).

(4) The days mentioned in paragraph (5) are to be disregarded in calculating any date referred to in this regulation.

(5) The days mentioned in this paragraph are—

(a) a Saturday or Sunday,

(b) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in England, and

(c) any day appointed as a day of public thanksgiving or mourning in England.

Section 3 Question to be asked in a referendum

The question to be asked in the referendum is, where the proposal in relation to which the referendum is to be held is—

(a) a neighbourhood plan, the question set out in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1;

(b) a neighbourhood development order, other than a community right to build order, the question set out in paragraph 2 of Schedule 1;

(c) a community right to build order, the question set out in paragraph 3 of Schedule 1.

Section 4 Information to be made available in relation to referendums

(1) ...The proper officer of the relevant council must ensure the information statement and the specified documents are—

(a) published on the website of the relevant council; and

(b) made available during the referendum period for inspection—

(i) at the principal offices of the relevant council; and

(ii) where the relevant council controls any premises which are open to the public in the referendum area, at such of those premises as the council considers appropriate having regard to the desirability of ensuring a geographical distribution of premises where the statement and documents are made available, provided that in all cases they are available at least at one such premises ; and

(c) where regulation 17 applies, and subject to paragraph (3A), made available during the referendum period in such other manner if any as the proper officer considers necessary to bring them to the attention of persons likely to be entitled to vote in the business referendum.

(1A) The information statement and the specified documents must be published in accordance with paragraph (1)(a) not fewer than—

(a) where regulation 17 applies, 56 days before the date on which the referendums will be held (subject to paragraph 3A)); or

(b) in any other case, 28 days before the date on which the referendum will be held.

(1B) Where regulation 17 applies (and subject to paragraph (3B)), the information statement and specified documents must be published on the same date in respect of each of the referendums.

(2) The information statement and the specified documents published in accordance with paragraph (1) must, as far as reasonably practicable, remain available throughout the referendum period in the form in which they were originally published.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation—

(a) “the information statement” is a statement that specifies—

(i) that a referendum will be held and, where regulation 17 applies, that two referendums will be held on the same date one of which is a business referendum;

(ii) the date on which the referendum or referendums will be held;

(iii) the question to be asked in the referendum or referendums ;

(iv) a map of the referendum area;

(v) where the referendum area is not identical to the neighbourhood area, a map of the neighbourhood area;

(vi) a description of persons entitled to vote in the referendum and, where regulation 17 applies, each of the referendums;

(vii) the referendum expenses limit that will apply in relation to the referendum or, where regulation 17 applies, as the overall limit for both referendums, and the number of persons by reference to which that limit has been calculated;

(viii) that the referendum or referendums will be conducted in accordance with procedures similar to those used at local government elections; and

(ix) the address and times at which a copy of the specified documents can be inspected, including, where regulation 17 applies, the specified documents relating to the business referendum; and

(b) “the specified documents” are—

(i) the draft neighbourhood plan or neighbourhood development order;

(ii) the report made by the independent examiner under paragraph 10 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 (in the case of a neighbourhood plan, as applied by section 38A(3) of the 2004 Act);

(iii) a summary of any representations submitted to the independent examiner pursuant to paragraph 9 of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act;

(iv) a statement—

(aa) in the case of a draft neighbourhood development order (excluding a community right to build order), that the local planning authority are satisfied the order meets the basic conditions mentioned in paragraph 8(2) of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act and complies with the provision made by or under sections 61E(2), 61J and 61L of that Act, or

(bb) in the case of a draft neighbourhood plan, that the local planning authority are satisfied the draft plan meets those basic conditions and complies with the provision made by or under sections 38A and 38B of the 2004 Act; or

(cc) in the case of a community right to build order, that the independent examiner has recommended that the draft order is submitted to a referendum under paragraph 10(3) of Schedule 4C to that Act;

(v) a statement that sets out general information as to town and country planning (including neighbourhood planning) and the referendum, which is prepared having regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State; and

(vi) in the case of a community right to build order, a statement that sets out details of any enfranchisement right which are not to be exercisable in relation to land the development of which is to be authorised by the draft order, and the properties, or types of properties, in relation to which, the qualifying body proposes that right is not exercisable.

(3A) Where regulation 17 applies, the referendum expenses limit in paragraph (3)(a)(vii) shall be published and made available in accordance with paragraph (1) as soon as practicable after the initial registration list is received by the business registration officer.

(3B) Where regulation 17 applies, this regulation does not require publication or making available of more than one statement, nor of the same document more than once, except in so far as is necessary to bring the information set out in paragraph (3) in respect of both referendums to the attention of persons entitled to vote in either of the referendums.

(3C) In this regulation “referendum expenses limit” has the same meaning as in regulation 6(1).

(4) The days mentioned in paragraph (5) are to be disregarded in calculating the period ... referred to in paragraph (1).

(5) The days mentioned in this paragraph are—

(a) a Saturday or Sunday,

(b) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in England, and

(c) any day appointed as a day of public thanksgiving or mourning in England.

Section 5 Restriction on publication etc of promotional material

(1) This regulation applies to any material which—

(a) provides general information about the referendum;

(b) deals with any of the issues raised by the question to be asked in the referendum; or

(c) puts any arguments for or against a particular answer to that question.

(2) No material to which this regulation applies is to be published by or on behalf of—

(a) the relevant council, or

(b) the local planning authority for the referendum area, where that is not the relevant council,

during the referendum period.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to—

(a) material required to be published under regulation 4, or

(b) the publication of press notices containing factual information where the sole purpose of the publication is to refute or correct any inaccuracy in material published by a person other than the relevant council.

(4) In this regulation “ publish ” means make available to the public, or to any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means (including, in particular, by inclusion in any programme included in a programme service within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1990) ; and “ publication ” is to be construed accordingly.

Section 6 General restriction on referendum expenses

(1) In this regulation and in regulation 7—

“ campaign organiser ” means an individual or body by whom, or on whose behalf, referendum expenses are incurred (including expenses treated as incurred) in connection with a referendum campaign;

“initial registration list” means the information provided by a billing authority to a business registration officer in accordance with paragraph 13 of Schedule 6 and includes any corrections or alterations made to it in accordance with the provisions of that Schedule;

“ referendum campaign ” means a campaign conducted with a view to promoting or procuring a particular outcome in relation to the question to be asked in a referendum;

“ referendum expenses ” means the expenses incurred by or on behalf of any individual or body during the referendum period for referendum purposes in respect of any of the matters set out in paragraphs 1 to 7 of Schedule 2, as read in accordance with paragraph 8 of that Schedule;

“referendum expenses limit” is calculated using the formula—

where N is—

if regulation 17 does not apply, the number of entries in the relevant register;

if regulation 17 applies, the sum of the number of entries in the relevant register and the number of rate-payers on the initial registration list;

“ for referendum purposes ” means—

in connection with the conduct or management of any campaign conducted with a view to promoting or procuring a particular result in the referendum, or

otherwise in connection with promoting or procuring any such outcome;

“relevant register” means the part or parts of the register or registers of local government electors kept in accordance with section 9(1) of the 1983 Act which has or have effect in respect of the referendum area on the day on which the referendum period begins (whether or not the persons to whom the entries relate are entitled to vote in the referendum).

(2) The total referendum expenses incurred or, in accordance with regulation 7, treated as incurred, by, or on behalf of, a campaign organiser must not exceed the referendum expenses limit.

(3) Where any referendum expenses are incurred in excess of the referendum expenses limit, a person who knew or ought reasonably to have known that that limit would be exceeded, or who, without reasonable excuse, authorises another person to exceed that limit, is guilty of an offence.

(4) Where an offence under paragraph (3) which has been committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to have been attributable to any neglect on the part of, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or any other person purporting to act in such capacity, that person, as well as the body corporate, is guilty of an offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

(5) A person who commits an offence under paragraph (3) is liable—

(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or both, or

(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both.

(6) In relation to an offence committed before 2nd May 2022 , the reference in paragraph (5)(a) to the general limit in a magistrates’ court is to be read as a reference to 6 months.

(7) Where information is given to the Director of Public Prosecutions (“the DPP”) that an offence under paragraph (3) has been committed, it is the DPP's duty to make such inquiries and institute such prosecutions as the circumstances of the case appear to the DPP to require.

(8) Nothing in paragraph (2) affects the right of any creditor who, when the expenses were incurred, was ignorant of that expense being in contravention of that paragraph.

Section 7 Notional referendum expenses

(1) This regulation applies where property, services or facilities provided for the use or benefit of any person either—

(a) free of charge, or

(b) at a discount of more than 10 per cent of the commercial rate for the use of the property or for the provision of the services or facilities,

is or are made use of by or on behalf of that person in circumstances such that, if any expenses were to be (or are) actually incurred by that person or on that person's behalf in respect of that use, they would be (or are) referendum expenses incurred by that person or on that person's behalf.

(2) Subject to paragraph (5), where this regulation applies, an amount of referendum expenses determined in accordance with paragraph (3) is, unless it is not more than £200, to be treated for the purposes of regulation 6 as incurred by that person for the period for which the property, services or facilities is or are made use of as mentioned in paragraph (1).

(3) The amount mentioned in paragraph (2) is such proportion of either—

(a) the commercial rate for use of the property or the provision of the services or facilities (where the property, services or facilities is or are provided free of charge), or

(b) the difference between that commercial rate and the amount of the expenses actually incurred by or on behalf of that person in respect of the use of the property or the provision of the services or facilities (where the property, services or facilities is or are provided at a discount),

as is reasonably attributable to the use made of the property, services or facilities as mentioned in paragraph (1).

(4) Where the services of an employee are made available by that employee's employer for the use or benefit of a person, the amount which is to be taken as constituting the commercial rate for the provision of those services is the amount of the remuneration or allowances payable to the employee by the employer in respect of the period for which the employee's services are made available (but that amount is not to include any amount in respect of contributions or other payments for which the employer is liable in respect of that employee).

(5) No amount of referendum expenses is to be regarded as incurred by virtue of paragraph (2) in respect of the provision by any individual of the individual's own services which the individual provides voluntarily in that individual's own time and free of charge.

Section 8 Conduct of referendum: poll at referendum not taken together with poll at relevant election or referendum

(1) This regulation applies, in relation to the residential referendum, where the poll is not taken together with the poll at a relevant election.

(2) The referendum is to be conducted in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums Rules (set out in Schedule 3).

(3) The enactments mentioned Tables 1 to 6 of Schedule 4 have effect in relation to the referendum, subject to—

(a) unless the context otherwise requires, the general modifications specified in paragraph (4), and

(b) the modifications specified in those Tables.

(4) The general modifications are—

(a) a reference to an election must be construed as a reference to the referendum;

(b) a reference to a returning officer must be construed as a reference to the counting officer;

(c) a reference to a constituency, an electoral division or a ward, or a reference to a voting area must be construed as a reference to the referendum area;

(d) a reference to any local authority by or in respect of which an election is held must be construed as a reference to the relevant council;

(e) a reference to voting for, or a vote for, a candidate must be construed as a reference to voting for, or a vote for, an answer;

(f) a reference to promoting or procuring the election of a candidate, or furthering a person's candidature, must be construed as a reference to promoting or procuring a particular result in the referendum;

(g) references to nomination papers and, except as mentioned in sub-paragraphs (e) and (f), references to candidates, are ignored;

(h) a reference to the return of a person must be construed as a reference to a particular result in the referendum;

(i) a reference to a person voting as an elector must be construed as a person voting on their own behalf;

(j) a reference to a person's entitlement as an elector to an absent vote must be construed as a reference to a person's entitlement to vote by post on their own behalf or to vote by proxy;

(k) where anything is required to be done in the presence of election, polling, counting or other agents, the reference to the presence of agents is ignored;

(l) a reference to anything having been prescribed must be construed as a reference to its being provided for by a provision of subordinate legislation applied by these Regulations;

(m) a form which is required to be used may be used with such variations as the circumstances require;

(n) a reference to the registration officer, in relation to a district, London borough, the Common Council of the City of London or the Isles of Scilly, is a reference to the relevant registration officer appointed under section 8 or 203(4) of the 1983 Act , and for the purpose of the exercise of a registration officer's functions in relation to the referendum, section 52(1) to (4) (discharge of registration duties) and section 54(1), (3) and (4) (payment of expenses of registration) of that Act have effect;

(o) any reference to an enactment or instrument made under an enactment must be construed as a reference to that enactment or instrument as applied by these Regulations;

(p) so much of any provision as applies to an election petition is ignored;

(q) so much of any provision as applies only in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland is ignored.

Section 9 Counting officer

(1) Where the relevant council is not the Common Council of the City of London, functions conferred by these Regulations on the counting officer are to be exercised in the referendum area by the person who is for the time being the returning officer at local government elections in which the referendum area is situated under section 35(1) or (3) of the 1983 Act .

(2) Where the relevant council is the Common Council of the City of London, functions conferred by these Regulations on the counting officer are to be exercised by the person who is for the time being appointed by the Common Council to act as the counting officer of the referendum.

(3) It is the counting officer's general duty at the referendum to do all such acts and things as may be necessary for effectually conducting the referendum in the manner provided by these Regulations.

(4) The counting officer must also appoint and pay any such persons as may be necessary for the purpose of the counting of the votes.

Section 10 Cross-boundary referendum areas and the Chief Counting Officer

(1) This regulation applies where the referendum area comprises any part of the area of more than one relevant council.

(2) Where under these Regulations a proper officer is required to publish any notice or document, that notice or document must be published in the same manner and on the same date in respect of each relevant council.

(3) Where paragraph (2) applies, the decision as to the manner and date of the publicity required is to be made by the proper officers of the relevant councils jointly or, if they cannot agree, by the proper officer of the relevant council in whose portion of the referendum area the greater or greatest (as the case may be) number of local government electors is registered.

(4) Where this regulation applies—

(a) the relevant council in whose portion of the referendum area the greater or greatest (as the case may be) number of local government electors is registered, or

(b) such other relevant council as both or all (as the case may be) the councils agree,

must appoint a person to be Chief Counting Officer in relation to the referendum.

(5) The Chief Counting Officer may give, to a counting officer, directions relating to the discharge of the counting officer's functions at the referendum, including directions requiring the provision to the Chief Counting Officer of any information which the counting officer has or is entitled to have and directions requiring them to take specified steps in preparation for the referendum.

(6) It is the duty of a counting officer to whom directions are given under paragraph (5) to discharge that counting officer's functions at the referendum in accordance with the directions.

(7) In relation to the discharge of all or any of the functions of the Chief Counting Officer in relation to the referendum, the Chief Counting Officer may, in writing, appoint—

(a) deputies;

(b) clerks.

Section 11 Combination of polls: general

(1) Where the poll at a residential referendum would be taken on a day that falls within the period beginning 28 days before the day on which the poll is to be taken at a relevant election—

(a) the poll at the referendum (or at both the residential referendum and the business referendum, where an additional referendum is required to be held in accordance with paragraph 12(4) of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act) may be taken on the day on which the poll is to be taken at the relevant election; and

(b) the poll at the residential referendum may be taken together with the poll at the relevant election if the returning officer or counting officer for the relevant election and the counting officer for the referendum think fit.

(2) Where the poll at a residential referendum would be taken on a day that falls within the period beginning 28 days before the day on which the poll is to be taken at another residential referendum—

(a) the poll at the referendum (or at both the residential referendum and the business referendum, where an additional referendum is required to be held in accordance with paragraph 12(4) of Schedule 4B to the 1990 Act) may be taken on the day on which the poll is to be taken at the other residential referendum; and

(b) the poll at both the residential referendums may be taken together if the counting officer thinks fit.

(3) The cost of taking the combined polls (excluding any cost solely attributable to one election or referendum) and any cost attributable to their combination are to be apportioned equally among the elections or referendums.

Section 12 Combination of polls: conduct of referendum

(1) This regulation applies, in relation to a residential referendum , where polls are taken together in accordance with regulation 11.

(2) The poll at the referendum is to be conducted in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums (Combination of Polls) Rules (set out in Schedule 5).

(3) The enactments mentioned in Tables 1 to 6 of Schedule 4 have effect, in relation to the referendum, subject to—

(a) unless the context otherwise requires, the general modifications in regulation 8(4), and

(b) the modifications specified in those Tables.

(4) The enactments mentioned in Part 2 of Schedule 4 have effect, in relation to the referendum, subject to the modifications specified in that Part.

(5) Where the polls at a relevant election are held on the same day as the referendum, a person who is entitled to vote at the referendum is to be treated as being entitled to vote by post, or to vote by proxy, at the referendum where that person is entitled under the absent voter legislation to vote by post, or to vote by proxy, at the relevant election.

(6) In paragraph (5), “ absent voter legislation ” means one or more of the following—

(a) Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 ; and

(b) Schedule 2 to the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012 ; ...

(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 13 Combination of polls: supplementary provisions relating to relevant elections

(1) This regulation applies, in relation to the relevant election, where polls are taken together in accordance with regulation 11.

(2) The enactments mentioned in Tables 2, 3 and 6 of Part 1 and Parts 2 and 3 of Schedule 4, have effect, in relation to the relevant election taken together with the referendum, subject to—

(a) unless the context otherwise requires, the general modifications specified in paragraph (3), and

(b) the modifications specified in Tables 2, 3 and 6 and Parts 2 and 3.

(3) The general modifications are—

(a) a reference to an election must be construed as including the referendum;

(b) a reference to a returning officer must be construed as including the counting officer;

(c) a reference to a constituency, an electoral division or a ward, or a reference to a voting area must be construed as including the referendum area;

(d) a reference to any local authority by or in respect of which an election is held must be construed as including the relevant council;

(e) a reference to voting for, or a vote for, a candidate must be construed as including voting for, or a vote for, an answer;

(f) a reference to promoting or procuring the election of a candidate, or furthering a person's candidature, must be construed as including promoting or procuring a particular result in the referendum;

(g) a reference to the return of a person must be construed as including a particular result in the referendum;

(h) a reference to a person voting as an elector must be construed as including a person voting on their own behalf;

(i) a reference to a person's entitlement as an elector to an absent vote must be construed as including a person's entitlement to vote by post on their own behalf or to vote by proxy;

(j) a reference to anything having been prescribed must be construed as including its being provided for by a provision of subordinate legislation applied by these Regulations;

(k) a form which is required to be used may be used with such variations as the circumstances require;

(l) a reference to the registration officer, in relation to a district, London borough, the Common Council of the City of London or the Isles of Scilly, includes a reference to the relevant registration officer appointed under section 8 or 203(4) of the 1983 Act, and for the purpose of the exercise of a registration officer's functions in relation to the referendum, section 52(1) to (4) (discharge of registration duties) and section 54(1), (3) and (4) (payment of expenses of registration) of that Act have effect;

(m) any reference to an enactment or instrument made under an enactment must be construed as including that enactment or instrument as applied by these Regulations.

Section 14 Advertisements

The Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 2007 have effect in relation to the display on any site in a referendum area of an advertisement relating specifically to the referendum as they have effect in relation to the display of an advertisement relating specifically to a local government election.

Section 15 Non-domestic rating: premises used for referendum purposes

In relation to premises in a referendum area, section 65(6) of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 has effect as if—

(a) the reference to public meetings in furtherance of a person's candidature at an election included a reference to public meetings promoting a particular result in the referendum, and

(b) the reference to the use by a returning officer for the purpose of taking the poll in an election included a reference to the use for the purpose of taking the poll in the referendum by a person exercising functions of a counting officer in accordance with regulation 9.

Section 16 Referendums not arranged by the local planning authority

If any relevant council is not the local planning authority, the relevant council and the local planning authority must co-operate in relation to the holding of referendums, and in particular—

(a) the proper officer of the local planning authority must inform the proper officer of the relevant council as soon as they know that a referendum is required to be held by paragraph 12(4) of Schedule 4B, or paragraph 10(3) of Schedule 4C, to the 1990 Act;

(b) the proper officer of the local planning authority must promptly provide to the proper officer of the relevant council—

(i) a summary of written representations, and

(ii) any information or copies of documents held by the local planning authority,

which the proper officer of the relevant council requires to comply with regulation 4;

(c) the proper officers of the local planning authority and the relevant council must each respond as soon as reasonably practicable to any request for information from the other in connection with the holding of the referendum; and

(d) the proper officer of the relevant council must, as soon as reasonably practicable, inform the proper officer of the local planning authority of the result of the referendum.

Section 17 Business referendums

(1) This regulation applies where a business referendum is required to be held.

(2) The business referendum must be held on the same date as the corresponding residential referendum.

(3) Schedule 6 is to have effect.

(4) The poll at the business referendum is to be conducted in accordance with the Neighbourhood Planning Business Referendums Rules as set out in Schedule 7.

(5) The provisions mentioned in the Tables in Schedule 8 have effect in relation to the business referendum subject to—

(a) unless the context otherwise requires the general modifications specified in paragraph (6), and

(b) the modifications specified in those Tables.

(6) The general modifications are—

(a) a reference to an election must be construed as a reference to the business referendum;

(b) a reference to a returning officer must be construed as a reference to the counting officer;

(c) a reference to a register or a register of parliamentary or local government electors must be construed as a reference to the business voting register;

(d) a reference to a constituency, an electoral division or a ward, or a reference to a voting area must be construed as a reference to the referendum area;

(e) a reference to any local authority by or in respect of which an election is held must be construed as a reference to the relevant council;

(f) a reference to voting for, or a vote for, a candidate must be construed as a reference to voting for, or a vote for, an answer;

(g) a reference to promoting or procuring the election of a candidate, or furthering a person’s candidature, must be construed as a reference to promoting or procuring a particular result in the business referendum;

(h) a reference to the return of a person must be construed as a reference to a particular result in the business referendum;

(i) a reference to an elector or a proxy must be construed as a reference to a business vote holder or a named voter;

(j) where anything is required to be done in the presence of election, polling, counting or other agents, the reference to the presence of agents is ignored;

(k) a reference to anything having been prescribed must be construed as a reference to its being provided for by a provision of subordinate legislation applied by these Regulations;

(l) a form which is required to be used may be used with such variations as the circumstances require;

(m) a reference to the registration officer, in relation to a district, London borough, the Common Council of the City of London or the Isles of Scilly, is a reference to the business registration officer;

(n) any reference to an enactment or instrument made under an enactment must be construed as a reference to that enactment or instrument as applied by these Regulations;

(o) so much of any provision as applies to an election petition is ignored;

(p) so much of any provision as applies only in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland is ignored.

(7) In this regulation—

“business voting register” has the same meaning as in Schedule 6;

“corresponding residential referendum” has the same meaning as in Schedule 7.

Section 1

Do you want [ insert name of local planning authority ] to use the neighbourhood plan for [ insert name of neighbourhood area ] to help it decide planning applications in the neighbourhood area?

Section 2

Do you want the type of development in the neighbourhood development order for [ insert name of neighbourhood area ] to have planning permission?

Section 3

Do you want the development in the community right to build order for [ insert name of neighbourhood area ] to have planning permission?

Section 1

Advertising of any nature (whatever the medium used):

Expenses in respect of such advertising include agency fees, design costs and other costs in connection with preparing, producing, distributing or otherwise disseminating such advertising or anything incorporating such advertising and intended to be distributed for the purpose of disseminating it.

Section 2

Unsolicited material addressed to voters (whether addressed to them by name or intended for delivery to households within any particular area or areas):

Expenses in respect of such material include design costs and other costs in connection with preparing, producing or distributing such material (including the cost of postage).

Section 3

Any material of a description referred to in regulation 5(1).

Section 4

Market research or canvassing conducted for the purposes of ascertaining voting intentions.

Section 5

The provision of any property, services or facilities in connection with press conferences or other dealings with the media.

Section 6

Transport (by any means) of persons to any place or places with a view to obtaining publicity in connection with a referendum campaign:

Expenses in respect of the transport of such persons include the costs of hiring a particular means of transport for the whole or part of the referendum period.

Section 7

Rallies and other events, including public meetings organised so as to obtain publicity in connection with a referendum campaign or for other purposes connected with a referendum campaign.

Expenses in respect of such events include costs in connection with the attendance of persons at such events, the hire of premises for the purposes of such events or the provision of goods, services or facilities at them.

Section 8

Nothing in paragraphs 1 to 7 is to be taken as extending to—

(a) any expenses in respect of any property, services or facilities so far as those expenses fall to be met out of public funds;

(b) any expenses incurred in respect of the remuneration or allowances payable to any member of staff of the campaign or the campaign organiser;

(c) any expenses incurred in respect of an individual by way of travelling expenses (by any means of transport) or in providing for that individual's accommodation or other personal needs to the extent that the expenses are paid by the individual from that individual's own resources and are not reimbursed to the individual.

Section 1 Citation

These Rules may be cited as the Neighbourhood Planning Referendums Rules.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) In these Rules—

“anonymous elector’s document” and “temporary electoral identity document” have the meanings given in regulation 3(1) of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022;

“ voter ” means a person entitled to vote on their own behalf.

(2) References to the register of local government electors (other than a reference to a person's number on the register) must be construed as references to the part or parts of the register or registers of local government electors which has or have effect in respect of the referendum area.

(3) References to the relevant registration officer are to—

(a) the registration officer of the relevant council;

(b) if the referendum area comprises any part of the area of more than one relevant council, the registration officer of the relevant council in whose portion of the referendum area the greater or greatest (as the case may be) number of electors is registered.

(4) Other expressions used both in these Rules and in the 1983 Act (as it applies to local government elections) have the same meaning in these Rules as they have in that Act.

Section 3 Timetable

The proceedings at the referendum are to be conducted in accordance with the following Timetable.

Timetable

Section 4 Computation of time

In computing any period of time for the purposes of the Timetable the days mentioned in regulation 4(5) are to be disregarded, and any such day is not to be treated as a day for the purpose of any proceedings up to the completion of the poll nor is the counting officer obliged to proceed with the counting of the votes on such a day.

Section 5 Notice of referendum

(1) The counting officer must publish notice of the referendum, stating the date of the poll.

(2) The notice of referendum must state the date by which—

(a) applications to vote by post or by proxy; and

(b) other applications and notices about postal or proxy voting,

must reach the registration officer in order that they may be effective for the referendum.

Section 6 Poll to be taken by ballot

A poll must be taken at the referendum and the votes at the poll must be given by ballot.

Section 7 The ballot papers

(1) The ballot of every person entitled to vote at the referendum must consist of a ballot paper.

(2) Every ballot paper to be used in the referendum must be in the form set out in Form 1, 2 or 3 in the Appendix (as the case may be).

(3) Every ballot paper—

(a) must be capable of being folded up; and

(b) must have a number and other unique identifying mark printed on the back.

Section 8 The corresponding number list

(1) The counting officer must prepare a list containing the numbers and other unique identifying marks of all of the ballot papers to be issued by the counting officer in pursuance of rule 14(1) or provided by that person in pursuance of rule 18(1).

(2) The list must be in the form set out in Form 4 in the Appendix or a form to like effect.

Section 9 The official mark

(1) Every ballot paper must contain an appropriate security marking (the official mark).

(2) The official mark must be kept secret.

(3) The counting officer may use a different official mark for different purposes at the same referendum.

Section 10 Prohibition of disclosure of vote

No person who has voted at the referendum is, in any legal proceeding to question the referendum, required to state for which answer that person has voted.

Section 11 Use of schools and public rooms

(1) The counting officer may use, free of charge, for the purpose 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 ) 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) The counting 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.

Section 12 Cross-boundary referendum areas

(1) This rule applies where the referendum area comprises any part of the area of more than one relevant council.

(2) Where this rule applies, the Chief Counting Officer must ensure, as far as practicable, that any ballot paper or other document issued in relation to the referendum is in the same form (except for necessary changes) and is issued on the same date in respect of each relevant council.

Section 13 Notice of poll

(1) The counting officer must publish notice of the poll stating—

(a) the day and hours fixed for the poll; and

(b) the question to be asked in the referendum.

(2) The notice of the poll must be published no later than the sixth day before the date of the referendum.

(3) The counting officer must, not later than the time of the publication of the notice of the poll, also give public notice of—

(a) the situation of each polling station; and

(b) the description of persons entitled to vote there.

Section 14 Postal ballot papers

(1) The counting officer must, in accordance with regulations made under the 1983 Act , issue to those entitled to vote by post a ballot paper and a postal voting statement in the form set out in Form 6 in the Appendix, or a form to like effect, together with such envelopes for their return as may be prescribed by such regulations.

(2) The counting officer must also issue to those entitled to vote by post such information as the officer thinks appropriate about how to obtain—

(a) translations into languages other than English of any directions to or guidance for voters and proxies sent with the ballot paper;

(b) a translation into Braille of such directions or guidance;

(c) graphical representations of such directions or guidance;

(d) the directions or guidance in any other form (including any audible form).

(3) The postal voting statement must include provision for the form to be signed and for stating the date of birth of the voter or proxy.

(4) In the case of a ballot paper issued to a person at an address in the United Kingdom, the counting officer must ensure that the return of the ballot paper and postal voting statement is free of charge to the voter or proxy.

Section 15 Provision of polling stations

(1) The counting officer must provide a sufficient number of polling stations and, subject to the following provisions of this rule, must allot polling stations to voters in such manner as the counting officer thinks most convenient.

(2) One or more polling stations may be provided in the same room.

(3) The polling station allotted to voters from any parliamentary polling district wholly or partly within the referendum area must, in the absence of special circumstances, be in the parliamentary polling place for that district.

(4) The counting officer must provide each polling station with such number of compartments as may be necessary in which the voters and proxies can mark their votes screened from observation.

(5) The counting officer must ensure that each polling station contains an area in which voters and proxies can produce proof of identity in private.

Section 16 Appointment of presiding officers and polling clerks

(1) The counting officer must appoint and pay a presiding officer to attend at each polling station and such clerks as may be necessary for the purposes of the referendum.

(2) The counting officer may, if that officer thinks fit, preside at a polling station and the provisions of these Rules relating to a presiding officer apply to a counting officer so presiding with the necessary modifications as to things to be done by the counting officer to the presiding officer or by the presiding officer to the counting officer.

(3) A presiding officer may do, by the clerks appointed to assist the officer, any act (including the asking of questions) which the officer is required or authorised by these Rules to do at a polling station except—

(a) order the arrest, exclusion or removal of any person from the polling station,

(b) refuse to deliver a ballot paper under rule 25(3) or rule 27(1E) (including that rule as applied by rule 28, 28 or 30), or

(c) resolve doubts over identity as mentioned in rule 27(1F) (including that paragraph as applied by rule 28, 29 or 30).

Section 17 Issue of official poll cards

(1) The counting officer must as soon as practicable after the publication of the notice of the referendum send to each voter and proxy an official poll card.

(2) The official poll card must be sent or delivered—

(a) in the case of a voter, to the voter's qualifying address; and

(b) in the case of a proxy, to the proxy's address as shown in the list of proxies.

(3) The official poll card must be in the form set out in Form 7, 8, 9 or 10 in the Appendix (as the case may be), or a form to like effect, and must set out—

(a) the name of the relevant council and of the neighbourhood area;

(b) the name of the voter, the voter's qualifying address and number on the register;

(c) the date and hours of the poll and the situation of the voter's polling station;

(d) such other information as the counting officer thinks appropriate,

and different information may be provided in pursuance of sub-paragraph (d) to different voters or to different descriptions of voter.

(4) In the case of a voter who has an anonymous entry in the register, instead of containing the matter mentioned in paragraph (3)(b), the poll card must contain such matter as is specified in the appropriate form in the Appendix.

(5) In this rule references to a voter—

(a) are to a person who is registered in the register of local government electors on the last day for the publication of notice of the referendum; and

(b) include a person then shown in the register as below voting age if (but only if) it appears from the register that the person will be of voting age on the day fixed for the poll.

Section 18 Equipment of polling stations

(1) The counting officer must provide each presiding officer with such number of ballot boxes and ballot papers as in the counting officer's opinion may be necessary.

(2) Every ballot box must be so constructed that the ballot papers can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, the seal being broken.

(3) The counting officer must provide each polling station with—

(a) materials to enable voters and proxies to mark the ballot papers;

(b) copies of such part of the register of electors as contains the names of the voters who have the station allotted to them;

(c) the parts of any special lists prepared for the referendum corresponding to the register of electors or the part of it provided under sub-paragraph (b);

(d) a list, in the form set out in Form 5 in the Appendix or a form to like effect, consisting of that part of the list prepared under rule 8 which contains the numbers (but not the other unique identifying marks) corresponding to those on the ballot papers provided to the presiding officer of the polling station.

(4) The reference in paragraph (3)(b) to the copies of the register of electors includes a reference to copies of any notices issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act in respect of alterations to the register.

(5) The counting officer must also provide each polling station with—

(a) at least one large version of the ballot paper which must be displayed inside the polling station for the assistance of voters and proxies who are partially sighted; ...

(aa) a ballot paper refusal list, set out in Form 10A in the Appendix or a form to like effect, on which entries are to be made as mentioned in rule 31A (refusal to deliver ballot paper); and

(b) such equipment as it is reasonable to provide for the purposes of enabling, or making it easier for, relevant persons to vote independently in the manner directed by rule 27 (voting procedure), including in relation to voting secretly; and for this purpose “ relevant persons ” means persons who find it difficult or impossible to vote in that manner because of—

(i) blindness or partial sight, or

(ii) another disability.

(5A) Paragraph (10) of rule 29 of Schedule 1 to the 1983 Act (Parliamentary elections rules: guidance to returning officers) applies for the purposes of paragraph (5)(b) of this rule as it applies for the purposes of that rule, but as if—

(a) the reference in that paragraph to the returning officer were a reference to the counting officer, and

(b) the reference in that paragraph to paragraph (3A)(b) were a reference to paragraph (5)(b) of this rule.

(6) A notice in the form set out in Form 11 in the Appendix, giving directions for the guidance of voters and proxies in voting, must be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside every polling station.

(6A) A large notice must be displayed inside each polling station containing—

(a) details of the documents the voter or proxy needs to produce when applying for a ballot paper, namely—

(i) in the case of a voter (other than a voter with an anonymous entry) or a proxy, any of the forms of identification for the time being referred to in rule 37(1H) of Schedule 1 to the 1983 Act (parliamentary elections rules);

(ii) in the case of a voter with an anonymous entry, the voter’s official poll card and an anonymous elector’s document showing the same electoral number as the electoral number shown on the official poll card; and

(b) a statement that further proof of identity may be required to resolve any discrepancy between the name of the holder of a form of identification and the name of the voter or proxy that the voter or proxy claims to be.

(7) The counting officer may also provide copies of the notice mentioned in paragraph (6) in Braille or translated into languages other than English as the counting officer considers appropriate, provided that these notices are accurate reproductions in Braille or that other language of that notice.

(8) In every compartment of every polling station there must be exhibited the notice “REFERENDUM ON [specify: neighbourhood plan / neighbourhood development order or community right to build order] FOR [specify name of neighbourhood area]. Mark a cross (X) in the box next to the answer of your choice. Vote ONCE only. Do not mark the ballot paper in any other way, or your vote may not be counted.”.

(9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 19 Appointment of polling observers and counting observers

(1) The counting officer may appoint persons to attend at polling stations for the purpose of detecting personation (“polling observers”).

(2) The counting officer must appoint persons to observe the counting of the votes and the verification of the ballot paper account (“counting observers”).

(3) In the following provisions of these Rules references to polling observers and counting observers are to be taken as references to polling observers and counting observers whose appointments have been duly made.

(4) Where by these Rules any act or thing is required or authorised to be done in the presence of the polling observers or counting observers, the non-attendance of any such person at the time and place appointed for the purpose does not, if the act or thing is otherwise duly done, invalidate the act or thing done.

Section 20 Notification of requirement of secrecy

(1) The counting officer must make such arrangements as the counting officer thinks fit to ensure that—

(a) every person attending at a polling station (otherwise than for the purpose of voting or assisting a voter or proxy with disabilities to vote or as a constable on duty there) has been given a copy in writing of the provisions of subsections (1), (3) and (6) of section 66 of the 1983 Act , as applied by Schedule 4; and

(b) every person attending at the counting of the votes (other than any constable on duty at the counting) has been given a copy in writing of the provisions of subsections (2) and (6) of that section, as applied by Schedule 4.

(2) In this rule, a reference to a constable includes a person designated as a community support officer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for employees).

Section 21 Return of postal ballot papers

(1) Where—

(a) a postal vote has been returned in respect of a person who is entered on the postal voters list; or

(b) a proxy postal vote has been returned in respect of a proxy who is entered on the proxy postal voters list,

the counting officer must mark the list in the manner prescribed by regulations made under the 1983 Act .

(2) Rule 37(3) does not apply for the purpose of determining whether, for the purposes of this rule, a postal vote or a proxy postal vote is returned.