Regulation 11 Procedure on receipt of petition

(1)

As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of a petition, the proper officer shall—

(a)

if paragraph (3) of regulation 8 applies in relation to the petition—

(i)

amalgamate it in accordance with that paragraph; and

(ii)

notify the petition organiser (if any) of each of the constituent petitions, of the petition date of the amalgamated petition; or

(b)

in any other case, notify the petition organiser (if any) of the petition date.

(2)

As soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of a petition, and not later than the end of the notice period, the proper officer shall, subject to paragraph (3), satisfy himself as to the validity of the petition.

(3)

Where the petition is a second (or subsequent) petition (“later petition”) which cannot lawfully be amalgamated with an earlier petition for a reason mentioned in paragraph (4) or (5) of regulation 8, the proper officer shall take the steps specified in paragraph (4) below, and such other steps as the Secretary of State may direct.

(4)

The steps specified in this paragraph are that, within the notice period, the proper officer—

(a)

shall notify the Secretary of State and the petition organiser (if any)—

(i)

of the receipt of the petition and of its petition date;

(ii)

of the receipt of every earlier petition and of its petition date;

(iii)

of the reason why the later petition cannot be amalgamated with any earlier petition; and

(iv)

that, by reason of the receipt of an earlier valid petition, the proper officer proposes to take no further action in relation to the later petition; and

(b)

shall notify the petition organiser (if any) that he may, within the period of two months beginning with the date of the notice, request the Secretary of State to consider the exercise of any power conferred on the Secretary of State by regulation 18.