98.Section 45 provides that a local authority may hold only one referendum on proposals for executive arrangements in any five-year period. This includes referendums triggered by a public petition under section 34, or required by the Secretary of State under section 35 or 36. The people eligible to vote in a referendum will be those people who would normally be entitled to vote at local government elections in the authority conducting the referendum.
99.Section 45 also provides for the Secretary of State to make regulations on the conduct of referendums, and for the application of electoral and referendum legislation to the holding of these referendums.
Introduction Commentary on sections Section 45: Provisions with respect to referendums