Dear Sir or Madam,

On about 02 December 2008 the South Norfolk District Council stated
in its agenda.

Under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, every
district council must appoint an officer of the Council to be
Electoral Registration Officer. The Registration Officer's duties
and powers may be performed and exercised by any deputy approved by
the council, which appointed the registration officer. It would
seem that following the retirement of Mr Kellett; Mr Rivers was not
officially appointed Electoral Registration Officer. It does not
appear in his job description, likewise there is a need for a
designated deputy. It is therefore suggested that Council appoint
the present Chief Executive, Mr G Rivers and the Electoral Services
Manager, Mr A Evans to the positions mentioned above.

It is understood that it is a duty of a Council to appoint both an
Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer and that the
external auditors make a Council aware annually (normally the Chief
Executive). It is understood that the SNDC functioned without
either for about five years.

It is understood that BACON, R was returned by the district to
Parliament without a Returning Office, and that serious problems
with the Electoral Roll and Council Tax records of the South
Norfolk District Council were identified by the Audit Commission.
BACON R was aware of the problems.

Could you provide all copies of all advice provided to BACON, R by
the relevant bodies, and a copy of the notice that shall have been
submitted by Bacon, R identifying that he had been returned to
Parliament without a Returning Officer.

Would you further identify how many other MP's are elected to
Parliament by Districts that have failed to appoint either an
Electoral Registration Officer or Returning Officer.. and how many
members of parliament bring this problem to the attention of
Parliament since 2000.

Yours faithfully,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

Dear Sir or Madam,

Apologies the reference to the FoI just mailed should relate to the
02 December 2002 agenda of the South norfolk District council

Yours sincerely,

Stuart Hardwicke Carruthers

Thank you for your recent email dated 25th July which was received on
the same day.

We shall deal with your request promptly and let you have a response by
22nd August 2008.

If you have any queries about your request, please contact the Freedom
of Information team.

Emma

Emma-Louise Kearney
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Co-Ordinator
Freedom of Information Team
Resources Department
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA

P Please consider the environment before printing

Dear Sir or Madam,

On about 02 December 2008 the South Norfolk District Council stated
in its agenda.

Under Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, every
district council must appoint an officer of the Council to be
Electoral Registration Officer. The Registration Officer's duties
and powers may be performed and exercised by any deputy approved by
the council, which appointed the registration officer. It would
seem that following the retirement of Mr Kellett; Mr Rivers was not
officially appointed Electoral Registration Officer. It does not
appear in his job description, likewise there is a need for a
designated deputy. It is therefore suggested that Council appoint
the present Chief Executive, Mr G Rivers and the Electoral Services
Manager, Mr A Evans to the positions mentioned above.

It is understood that it is a duty of a Council to appoint both an
Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer and that the
external auditors make a Council aware annually (normally the Chief
Executive). It is understood that the SNDC functioned without
either for about five years.

It is understood that BACON, R was returned by the district to
Parliament without a Returning Office, and that serious problems
with the Electoral Roll and Council Tax records of the South
Norfolk District Council were identified by the Audit Commission.
BACON R was aware of the problems.

Could you provide all copies of all advice provided to BACON, R by
the relevant bodies, and a copy of the notice that shall have been
submitted by Bacon, R identifying that he had been returned to
Parliament without a Returning Officer.

Would you further identify how many other MP's are elected to
Parliament by Districts that have failed to appoint either an
Electoral Registration Officer or Returning Officer.. and how many
members of parliament bring this problem to the attention of
Parliament since 2000.

Yours faithfully,

Stuart HARDWICKE CARRUTHERS

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Dear Mr Hardwicke Carruthers

The information you require is not held by the House of Commons. I
understand that at the beginning of a new Parliament the Clerk of the
Crown in Chancery will deliver to the Clerk of the House a return book,
which lists the members who won constituency seats and therefore have
the right to serve in Parliament. A copy of the book is delivered to
the Clerk of the House and, as "Erskine May" (A Practical Treatise on
the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament - known as
Parliamentary Practice or simply Erskine May) says, "is sufficient
evidence of the return of a Member". For the information you require,
you might consider submitting your request to the Ministry of Justice
(Clerk of the Crown in Chancery), Electoral Commission or the South
Norfolk District Council.

http://www.justice.gov.uk/requestinginfo...
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/ab...
quests
http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democrac...

The House will consider complaints in relation to its handling of this
request. These should be addressed to [House of Commons request email] Please
ensure that you specify the nature of your complaint and any arguments
or points that you wish to make. If you remain dissatisfied, you may
appeal to the Information Commissioner at Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Yours sincerely

Bob castle
_________________________________________________
Bob Castle
House of Commons Data Protection and Freedom of Information Officer

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