Hundreds of council chief executives face overseeing a referendum for the first time in 36 years, following last week's go ahead for the poll for a new parliamentary voting system – AV (alternative vote).

After a long battle between the Commons and the Lords, peers agreed to pass the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act, in time for the 17 February deadline set by the Electoral Commission, meaning the referendum will go ahead on 5 May, the same day as local elections