Independence referendum costs to rise to £13.3m

THE cost of staging the independence referendum will be a third more than what was initially estimated.

• The independence referendum will cost £13.3 million - a third more than initial estimates

• £8.6 million set aside for running costs of counting officers while £4.7 million to go towards regulation and public awareness

• Revised referendum cost equates to mental health improvement, harbour upgrades for offshore renewables sector and annual bills for emergency planning

The total cost will be £13.3 million, with £8.6 million for the running costs of counting officers and £4.7 million for regulation and public awareness.

Published in an official business and regulatory assessment, the figure is £3.3 million higher than the £10 million announced in the referendum consultation.

The assessment states: “The cost of running the referendum is estimated to be around £8.6 million, the majority of which will fall on the CCO (chief counting officer) and counting officers in the first instance.

“The Scottish ministers will reimburse the CCO and the counting officers for the costs incurred in the course of their role in running the referendum. This should ensure that there is no extra pressure on local authority budgets as a result of the Bill.

“The other costs associated with running the referendum, such as regulation and public awareness, are estimated at £4.7 million. This includes the costs of the campaign mailshot which the mail service provider will be able to recover from the Scottish ministers. It also includes the costs associated with the Electoral Commission’s role.”

There are “no obligations imposed on other bodies, individuals or businesses” associated with the Bill, according to the statement.

Last year’s Your Scotland, Your Referendum consultation stated: “The total cost is likely to be around £10 million, the bulk of which will be spent on running the poll and the count. This cost is broadly in line with the cost (per voter) of the Welsh Assembly and AV referendums in 2011.”

Putting the cost of the referendum into perspective, similar amounts will be spent on upgrading harbours for Scotland’s offshore renewables industry and on the annual bills for emergency planning, mental health improvement and pensions agency administration, according to the Scottish Budget.