Petitions for a referendum
The Local Government Act 2000 provides that electors can petition the council in their area to hold a referendum on whether the council should change to a different form of governance.
Such a petition must be signed by at least 5% of the local government electors in the local authority's area.
Every year the Monitoring Officer publishes the figure that represents 5% of the number of local government electors in the area. This is referred to as the Verification Number.
The Verification Number is published each year during February and is applicable between 1 April and 31 March following publication.
However, in any given year, there is a short period of time when one of two figures can be used. This is between publication of the number and 31 March that same year. During that time, the alternative number that can be used is the one that was published the previous February. Councils must use the lower of these two numbers as the Verification Number for any petition submitted during that period. Last year's figures was 7826.
North Tyneside Borough Council
The Local Authority (Referendums) (Petitions) (England) Regulations 2011
Publication of Verification Number
In accordance with Regulation 4(1) of the above regulations the number that is equal to 5% of the number of local government electors shown in the revised register of electors having effect on the 15th February 2025 is: 7956.
This figure will have effect for the purposes of determining the validity of Petitions presented in accordance with the 2011 Regulations from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026.
The number equal to 5% of the local government electors for 2025 will be published within 14 days of the 15th February 2025. If this number is less than 7956, the number to be used for verification purposes in relation to any petition submitted for the period beginning on the date of publication of the lower number until 31st March 2025 shall also be that lower number.
The background to this requirement is to be found in the Local Government Act 2000 which requires authorities to adopt one of four models of decision-making as follows:
Leader with cabinet;
Elected mayor with cabinet;
A Committee system; or
Arrangements prescribed by the Secretary of State
North Tyneside Council has adopted the elected mayor with cabinet model. There are statutory requirements for a local authority to hold a referendum on the form of arrangements to be adopted, where it has received a valid petition to do so.
Jacqueline Laughton
Electoral Registration Officer
North Tyneside Borough Council
Quadrant
The Silverlink North
Cobalt Business Park
North Tyneside
NE27 0BY