Explanatory note

These Rules amend the Local Elections (Principal Areas) Rules 1986. Those Rules apply in England to elections to a county, district or London borough council and in Wales to elections to a county or county borough council.

Rules 3 and 4 make amendments equivalent to those made in respect of parliamentary elections by section 38 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.

Rules 5 and 14 make amendments to the local elections rules equivalent to those made to the parliamentary elections rules (in Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 1983) by paragraph 23 of Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c. 2; “the 2000 Act”). Rules 7 and 12 make amendments equivalent to those made by paragraph 10(3) and (4) of Schedule 6 to the 2000 Act.

Rules 8 to 11 and 13 and 15 make changes to the local elections rules equivalent to those made to the parliamentary elections rules by section 13 of the 2000 Act.

Rule 6 reflects the repeal of the equivalent words in the parliamentary elections rules by Schedule 31 to the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 (c. 31).