The Local Government Act 2000 provides that electors in the Council's area can petition the Council to hold a referendum on whether a local authority should change to a different form of governance.
Such a petition must be signed by at least 5 percent of the local government electors in the local authority's area.
It is a legal requirement for the Proper Officer for each local authority area to publish the figure which represents 5 percent 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 there is one of two figures that 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.
London Borough of Havering, The Local Authority (Referendums) (Petitions & Directions) (England) Regulations 2000
Publication of Verification Number
In accordance with Regulation 4(1) of the above regulations the number that is equal to 5 percent of the number of local government electors shown in the revised register of electors having effect on 15 February 2024 is:
9311
This figure will have effect for the purposes of determining the validity of Petitions presented from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.
The number equal to 5 percent of the local government electors for 2025 will be published within 14 days of 15 February 2025.
If this number is less than 9311, 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 31 March 2025 shall also be that lower number.
Andrew Blake-Herbert
Electoral Registration Officer
London Borough of Havering
Havering Town Hall
Main Road
Romford
RM1 3BD
Thursday, 15 February 2024