Guidance for Returning Officers administering Local Government Elections in England

The Proper Officer must retain a copy of each candidate’s election spending return and declaration, along with any accompanying documents, for a period of two years beginning with the date when the return is received. During that period, they must make copies available for public inspection without charge.

If you have accepted spending returns via email, you should think about how you will prepare returns for inspection. For example, will you allow inspection to take place on a computer under supervision, or will you print off all of the returns.

The Proper Officer should make copies of the spending returns, declarations, and other accompanying documents available to anybody who requests them for a fee of £0.20 per side of paper. They must supply copies of the spending returns or declaration upon receipt of payment.

The addresses of individuals who have made donations to candidates must be redacted from all inspection copies and copies supplied on request.1  

At the end of the two-year period, if the candidate or the relevant election agent requests them, they must be returned to the candidate. Otherwise the returns, declaration and accompanying documents may be destroyed.2

We have produced guidance for candidates and agents on election spending and the required returns; in addition, candidates and agents can also download the return of candidate election spending form with integrated explanatory notes, the declaration by the election agent as to election spending and the declaration by the candidate as to their election spending from our website.