Agenda item

Minutes:

Approval was sought to make permanent appointments to the positions of Electoral Registration Officer, Returning Officer and Deputy Electoral

Registration Officers following temporary arrangements put in place for the Parliamentary General Election 2024.

 

(The Council’s Chief Executive and Executive Director for Governance (and

Monitoring Officer), had previously declared interests in respect of this item.

Their interests were such that they left the room and took no part in the

ensuing discussions regarding the matter.)

 

RESOLVED that

a)    with effect from 16 September 2024, Ruth Dennis, Executive Director - Governance be appointed:

 

·       as the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) for the Council pursuant to Section 8(2)(a) of the Representation of the People Act 1983;

 

·       as the Returning Officer (RO) pursuant to Section 35(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 with authority to act in that capacity for elections to the Council and all or any Parish Councils within the Council’s administrative area; and

 

·       to act in respect of all related electoral, poll or referendum duties, including elections to the County Council and for national and regional polls or referenda;

 

b)    with effect from 16 September 2024, Theresa Hodgkinson, Chief Executive, be appointed as Deputy Electoral Registration Officer pursuant to Section 52(2) of the 1983 Act;

 

c)     the following officers be authorised to act as Deputy Electoral Registration Officers for the purpose of signing Temporary Voter Authority Certificates, in addition to the Statutory Electoral Registration Officer (Ruth Dennis) and Deputy Electoral Registration Officer (Theresa Hodgkinson);

 

·       Michael Joy, Assistant Director – Democracy

·       Ian Dobson, Electoral Services (AEA) Consultant

·       Carla Benedetti, Electoral Services Officer

·       Louise Ellis, Assistant Director – Legal;

 

d)    in relation to the duties of Returning Officer (RO), or any other electoral referendum or polling duties arising from such appointment, the Returning Officer (RO) shall:

 

·       be entitled to be remunerated in accordance with the scale of fees approved from time to time in respect of the District, Parish and Nottinghamshire County Council for local elections; and

 

·       be entitled to be remunerated in accordance with the relevant scale of fees prescribed by a Fees Order in respect of national or regional elections, polls or referenda; and

 

·       in all cases where it is a legal requirement or normal practice to do so, fees paid to the Returning Officer (RO) shall be superannuable and the Council shall pay the appropriate employer's contribution to the superannuation fund, recovering such employer's contributions from Central Government or other local authorities or agencies where this can be done;

 

e)    in relation to the conduct of local authority elections and polls, and elections to the United Kingdom Parliament, and all other electoral duties where the Council is entitled by law to do so, the Council shall take out, and maintain in force, insurance indemnifying the Council and the Returning Officer (RO) against:

 

·       legal expenses reasonably incurred in connection with the defence of any proceedings brought against the Council, or the Returning Officer (RO); and/or

 

·       the cost of holding another election in the event of the original election being declared invalid; provided that such proceedings or invalidation are the result of the accidental contravention of the Representation of the People Acts, or other legislation governing the electoral process, or accidental breach of any ministerial, or other duty, by the Returning Officer (RO), or any other person employed by, or officially acting for her in connection with the election or poll);

 

Also, that, in the event of such insurance carrying an 'excess' clause by which an initial portion of risk is not insured, the Council, through its internal insurance fund or otherwise, will indemnify the Returning Officer (RO) up to the value of such excess.

Supporting documents: