Citation, commencement and interpretation

1. —(1) These Rules may be cited as the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2015.

(2) These Rules come into force on 2nd March 2015 but have no effect in relation to any election in respect of which the date of the poll specified in the notice of election is on or before 6th May 2015.

(3) In these Rules, “the 2006 Rules” means the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006( 3 ).

(4) In these Rules, unless otherwise stated, any reference to a numbered rule or Schedule is a reference to the rule or Schedule bearing that number in the 2006 Rules.

Amendment of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006

2. —(1)Schedule 2 (Rules for Conduct of an Election of Councillors of a Parish or Community where Poll is not taken together with Poll at another Election) is amended as follows.

(2) In rule 25(1), for “noon” substitute “4 in the afternoon”.

(3) In the Appendix of Forms—

(a) in the “Form of Candidate’s Consent to Nomination”—

(i) omit the words from “, and I do not hold a politically restricted post” to “within the meaning of that Part.”;

(ii) in the “Back of form”—

(aa) for “section 79” substitute “sections 78A and 79”;

(bb) after “Local Government Act 2000” insert “and section 34 of the Localism Act 2011”;

(b) for the following forms substitute the corresponding forms in Schedule 1 to these Rules—

(i) Form of Front of Ballot Paper;

(ii) Directions as to Printing the Ballot Paper.

3. —(1)Schedule 3 (Rules for Conduct of an Election of Councillors of a Parish or Community where the Poll is taken together with the Poll at a Relevant Election or Referendum) is amended as follows.

(2) In rule 25(1), for “noon” substitute “4 in the afternoon”.

(3) In the Appendix of Forms—

(a) in the “Form of Candidate’s Consent to Nomination”—

(i) omit the words from “, and I do not hold a politically restricted post” to “within the meaning of that Part.”;

(ii) in the “Back of form”—

(aa) for “section 79” substitute “sections 78A and 79”;

(bb) after “Local Government Act 2000” insert “and section 34 of the Localism Act 2011”;

(b) in the heading to the Form of Postal Voting Statement (for use when a local government poll is combined with another poll but the postal ballot papers are not combined), for “local government poll” substitute “parish or community poll”;

(c) for the following forms substitute the corresponding forms in Schedule 2 to these Rules—

(i) Form of Front of Ballot Paper;

(ii) Directions as to Printing the Ballot Paper.

Rule 2(3)(b)

SCHEDULE 1 Amended forms for use at an election of councillors of a parish or community where the poll is not taken together with another election or referendum

Form of front of ballot paper

Rule 3(3)(c)

SCHEDULE 2 Amended forms for use at an election of councillors of a parish or community where the poll is taken together with a relevant election or referendum

Form 3 Ballot paper (two candidates) Front of ballot paper