18. For rule 23 substitute—
“23.—(1) The local returning officer and the relevant returning or counting officer may use, free of charge, for relevant purposes—
(a)a room in a school maintained or assisted by—
(i)in relation to England, a county council in England, a metropolitan district council, a non-metropolitan district council for an area for which there is no county council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly, or
(ii)in relation to Wales, a county council or a county borough council in Wales;
(b)a room in a school in respect of which grants are made out of moneys provided by Parliament to the person or body of persons responsible for the management of the school;
(c)a room the expense of maintaining which is met by—
(i)in relation to England, a county council in England, a district council, a parish council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly, or
(ii)in relation to Wales, a county council or a county borough council in Wales or a community council.
(2) That officer must make good—
(a)any damage done to any such room, and
(b)defray any expense incurred by the persons having control over any such room,
by reason of its being used for the relevant purpose.
(3) In paragraphs (1) and (2) “relevant purposes” means—
(a)in the case of the local returning officer, the counting of votes, and
(b)in the case of the relevant returning or counting officer, the taking of the poll and the discharging of the functions under rule 49.”