Rule 26 Use of schools and public roomsI1

England and Wales

(1)

The returning officer may use any of the following rooms 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 county or county borough council;

(b)

a room in a school in respect of which grants are made out of money provided by Senedd Cymru to the person or body responsible for the management of the school;

(c)

any other room if the expense of maintaining the room is payable wholly or mainly out of public funds.

(2)

Where a room described in paragraph (1) is used for the purpose of taking the poll or counting the votes, the returning officer must—

(a)

make good any damage to the room resulting from its use for that purpose, and

(b)

defray any expense incurred by the person or body having control over the room by reason of its use for that purpose.

F1(3)

The use of a room in an unoccupied building for the purpose of taking the poll or counting the votes, does not render a person liable to pay any council tax or non-domestic rates.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1: Sch. 2 rule 26(3) inserted (13.3.2026) by The Local Elections (Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2026 (W.S.I. 2026/84), rules 1(2), 91 (with rule 1(3))

Commencement

I1: Sch. 2 rule 26 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1

Notes on Schedule 2

Modifications

C1: Sch. 2 applied (with modifications) (18.7.2025) by The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025 (S.I. 2025/864), art. 1(2), Sch. 3 paras. 26, 29 (with art. 1(4))