Explanatory note
(This note is not part of the Order)
Under section 29(3) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (as substituted by the Representation of the People Act 1991 (c. 11) and applied to elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly by the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001 (S.I.2001/2599)), the entitlement of a returning officer at an Assembly election to recover his charges in respect of his expenses for or in connection with such an election depends upon—
the expenses being of a kind specified in an order under that provision;
the expenses being properly incurred, and
the charges in respect of them being reasonable.
The New Northern Ireland Assembly Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) Order 1998 (S.I.1998/1493) (“1998 Order”) specifies the kind of expenses incurred by a returning officer for or in connection with an Assembly election in respect of which he is entitled to recover his charges together (in the case of Part A) with the maximum recoverable amounts in relation to those charges. Article 3(2) of this Order amends the Schedule to the 1998 Order to increase the maximum amounts specified in Part A.
Article 3(3) to (6) enables the returning officer to recover expenses related to the training of deputy returning officers, presiding officers, count staff and poll clerks.
Article 4 amends Part B of the Schedule to the 1998 Order to enable the returning officer to recover expenses in relation to the travelling and subsistence expenses of persons to whom he has delegated his functions, the storage of certain furniture and equipment, the provision of electoral registers and equipment to assist voters with disabilities.
Article 5 enables the returning officer to pay a recruitment allowance to those employed at the March 2007 election only.