Decision details

Section 35(1) Representation of the People Act 1983 (the Act) requires the Council to appoint an officer of the Council to be the Returning Officer (RO) in local elections (district and parish).

In England, every district council and London Borough is required to appoint “an officer of the council to be [electoral] registration officer for any constituency or part of a constituency … situated in the [local authority area].  Section 8(1) and (2), Representation of the People Act 1983.

Section 52 (2) of the Act states “any of the duties and powers of a registration officer (here in this section of the Act this means ERO) may be performed and exercised by any deputy for the time being approved, by the council which appointed the registration officer, and the provisions of this Act apply to any such deputy so far as respects any duties or powers to be performed or exercised by him as they apply to the registration officer.

       I.       To appoint Mr Peter Holt CEO as Returning Officer (RO) to the Council.

      II.       To appoint Mr Peter Holt CEO as Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) to the Council.

    III.       To appoint Mr Adrian Webb Director of Finance and s151 Officer and Mr Philip Hardy Electoral Services Manager to the role of Deputy ERO.

    IV.       That authority be given to the AD Governance and Legal and MO to make any corresponding amendments to the Constitution.

The arrangements setout in the decision notice will allow Mr Peter Holt CEO to cover all necessary duties as RO to the Council and Parishes and delegate the role as deputy to Mr Adrian Webb and Mr Philip Hardy in writing. It will also provide for Mr Peter Holt CEO to act as ERO to the Council (and therefore act as RO at anyparliamentary election) and for these duties to be formally carried out by Mr Adrian Webb and Mr Philip Hardy in his absence.

None.