# The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021, Paragraph 64B: Attendance at proceedings under this Part


(1) The following persons are entitled to attend proceedings under rules 64D(2) to (10) and 64F and under the rules in Chapter 2—
(a) the returning officer and members of the returning officer’s staff;
(b) each candidate and a guest of each candidate;
(c) the principal area election agents;
(d) the principal area counting agents;
(e) any person who is entitled to attend by virtue of sections 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (representatives of the Electoral Commission and accredited observers);
(f) the constables on duty.
(2) In addition, any person who is entitled to attend the counting of votes at a relevant election is entitled to attend proceedings under rule 64D(2) to (10).
(3) The returning officer may permit any other person to attend proceedings under any of rules 64D(2) to (10) or 64F or under any of the rules in Chapter 2.
(4) Permission may not be given under paragraph (3) unless the returning officer—
(a) is satisfied that the person’s attendance will not impede the efficient discharge of the returning officer’s functions, and
(b) has either consulted the appropriate persons about whether to give permission or decided that it is not practicable to consult them.
(5) For the purposes of paragraph (4)(b), “the appropriate persons” are—
(a) in the case of proceedings under rule 64D(2) to (10), the principal area election agents and the other election agents;
(b) in the case of any other proceedings, the principal area election agents.
(6) The returning officer must give any counting agents who are entitled to attend all such reasonable facilities for overseeing the proceedings, and all such information about them, as the returning officer is able to give consistently with the orderly conduct of the proceedings and the discharge of the returning officer’s duties.
(7) In particular, where the votes are counted by sorting the ballot papers according to the candidate for whom first preferences are given and then counting the number of ballot papers for each candidate, the principal area counting agents are entitled to satisfy themselves that the ballot papers are correctly sorted.
(8) The returning officer must make arrangements to ensure that every person attending at the counting of votes (other than the constables on duty) has been given a notice setting out the provisions of section 66(2) and (6) of the 1983 Act (notification of requirement of secrecy).
(9) In this rule, a reference to a constable includes a reference to a person designated as a community support officer or community support volunteer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for civilian staff and volunteers).

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2021/1459/schedule/2/paragraph/64B (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-wales-rules-2021/schedule-2/paragraph-64B
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.