The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) (Amendment) Order 2020

PART 6 Returning officers’ charges

Returning officers’ charges

53.—(1) Article 23 (payments by and to returning officer) is amended as follows.

(2) For paragraph (1) substitute—

“(1) A constituency or a regional returning officer is entitled to recover their charges in respect of expenses incurred for, or in connection with, a Senedd Cymru election where such expenses were necessarily incurred, for the efficient and effective conduct of the election.”

(3) After paragraph (1), insert—

“(1A) Subject to article 23A, a constituency or a regional returning officer is entitled to recover on behalf of electoral administrators charges in respect of services rendered for, or in connection with, a Senedd Cymru election where such charges were necessarily incurred for the efficient and effective conduct of the election.

(1B) In the case of a constituency returning officer, paragraphs (1) and (1A) apply to services rendered or expenses incurred for, or in connection with, a constituency or a regional election.

(1C) For the purpose of paragraph (1A), the “electoral administrators” include—

(a) a constituency or regional returning officer appointed under article 18;

(b) a deputy constituency or regional returning officer appointed under article 20;

(c) officers of councils responsible for the carrying out of functions related to a Senedd Cymru election under article 19.

(1D) The total charges a constituency or a regional returning officer shall be entitled to recover under paragraphs (1) and (1A) must not exceed the amount (“the overall maximum recoverable amount”) specified in, or determined in accordance with, an order made by the Welsh Ministers for the purposes of this paragraph.”

(4) In paragraph (2) for “(1)”, substitute “(1D)”.

(5) In paragraph (3)—

(a) in the first place it appears, for “Assembly” substitute “Welsh Ministers”,

(b) for “the Assembly is” substitute “the Welsh Ministers are”.

(6) In paragraph (5) for “(1)”, substitute “(1D)”.

(7) In paragraph (6)—

(a) for “(1)”, substitute “(1D)”,

(b) for “Assembly thinks fit”, substitute “Welsh Ministers think fit”.

(8) In paragraph (7)—

(a) in the first place it appears, for “Assembly” substitute “Welsh Ministers”,

(b) for “Assembly may if it thinks fit”, substitute “Welsh Ministers may if they think fit”.

(9) In paragraph (8)—

(a) in the first place it appears, for “an Assembly” substitute “a Senedd Cymru”,

(b) in the second and third place it occurs, for “Assembly” substitute “Welsh Ministers”.

(10) In paragraph (9) for “Assembly” substitute “Welsh Ministers”.

(11) In paragraph (10), in each place it occurs, for “Assembly” substitute “Welsh Ministers”.

(12) In paragraph (11)—

(a) omit “the Assembly or”.

(b) omit “in the financial year beginning on 1st April 2007 and in subsequent years”.