Commentary on Sections Period in which ballot results and valuations are to be notified
121.Section 53 of the Act amends section 52(4) of the 2003 Act (which provides the timescale for the conduct of the ballot) and section 60 of the 2003 Act (which provides the timescale for notification of the valuation figure).
122.Section 52(4) of the 2003 Act provides that the ballot is to take place within 28 days of the notification of the value of the land under section 60(2) of the 2003 Act and the ballot date is determined by the date of that notification. Section 53(1) of the Act amends section 52(4) of the 2003 Act to provide that the ballot takes place within the 12 week period beginning on the date the valuer is appointed under section 59(1) of the 2003 Act. Alternatively, in cases where the valuation period has been extended on application by the valuer under section 60(3) of the 2003 Act and the date to which the valuation period has been extended to is after the 12-week period following the appointment of the valuer, the 12-week period begins on the day following the notification of the date under section 60(3C) of the 2003 Act. This means that the ballotter will in all cases have a minimum of 12 weeks to conduct the ballot and notify Ministers of the results.
123.Section 53(2) of the Act provides that section 60 of the 2003 Act is amended to insert new subsections (3A) to (3D). These provisions detail the procedure of when and how the valuer is able to seek an extension to the timings for reporting the value of the land to parties set out in section 60(2). The community body, the landowner and the ballotter must be informed of the existence of any extension, the length of any extension and the end period for the extension.