(1)At least 3 months before the beginning of each financial year, the Authority must—
(a)prepare; and
(b)submit to the Scottish Ministers,
a plan setting out the proposed arrangements for the carrying out by the Authority of its functions during the year (the “annual plan”).
(2)The annual plan must specify—
(a)any strategic priorities determined under section 4(1);
(b)the objectives determined under section 5 for the financial year to which the plan relates;
(c)any directions such as are mentioned in section 30(1);
(d)the funding expected to be available to the Authority for the financial year to which the plan relates; and
(e)how the Authority proposes to allocate the funding.
(3)The annual plan must state, in relation to each objective included in the plan by virtue of subsection (2)(b), how the Authority proposes to meet the objective.
(4)In preparing the annual plan, the Authority must consult—
(a)persons whom the Authority considers represent the interests of chief constables of police forces;
(b)persons whom the Authority considers represent the interests of police bodies; and
(c)such other persons as the Authority considers appropriate.
(5)The Scottish Ministers must, no later than 2 months from the date on which the annual plan is submitted to them—
(a)approve the plan as submitted; or
(b)approve the plan subject to such modifications as they consider appropriate.
(6)On the annual plan being approved by the Scottish Ministers, the Authority must—
(a)publish it in such manner as the Authority considers appropriate; and
(b)send a copy of it to the persons specified in subsection (7).
(7)Those persons are—
(a)chief constables of police forces;
(b)police bodies; and
(c)such other persons as the Authority considers appropriate.