During elections, candidates and political parties are subject to limits on their spending.
All candidates at an election have to submit a Declaration and Return of Expenses to the Returning Officer within a statutory timescale. This is regardless of whether they were elected and even if there was no spending.
These documents are then made available for inspection for the following statutory periods:
- UK General Election: 2 years from receipt (public notice must be given in 2 or more local newspapers)
- European Parliamentary election: 1 year (public notice must be given in the region)
- borough elections: 2 years from receipt
- parish elections: 1 year from receipt
Except for European Parliamentary election expenses returns, documents can be inspected at Time Square during normal working hours.
European Parliamentary election expenses returns for the South East Region are held by the Returning Officer for those elections. Contact Electoral Services for more details.