3.—(1) There is established a combined authority for the combined area.
(2) The combined authority is to be a body corporate and to be known as the Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral Combined Authority.
(3) The functions of the Combined Authority are those functions conferred or imposed upon it by this Order or by any other enactment (whenever passed or made), or as may be delegated to it by or under this Order or any other enactment (whenever passed or made).
4. Schedule 1 (which makes provision about the constitution of the Combined Authority) has effect.
5.—(1) The constituent councils must meet the costs of the Combined Authority reasonably attributable to the exercise of its functions relating to economic development and regeneration.
(2) The amount payable by each of the constituent councils is to be determined by apportioning the costs of the Combined Authority referred to in paragraph (1) between the constituent councils in such proportions as they may agree or, in default of such agreement, in proportion to the total resident population at the relevant date of the area of each council concerned as estimated by the Registrar General.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2) the relevant date in relation to a payment for a financial year is 30th June in the financial year which commenced two years prior to the current financial year.
(4) Subject to paragraphs (5) and (6) the costs of the Combined Authority reasonably attributable to the exercise of its functions relating to transport shall be met by means of two separate levies issued by the Authority to—
(a)the district councils in the county of Merseyside; and
(b)Halton Council,
under section 74 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988(1), and in accordance with regulations made thereunder.
(5) In determining the amount of the levies to be issued to Halton Council for a financial year, no account may be taken of the cost of meeting any liabilities or expenses, including transferred pension liabilities, incurred by the Combined Authority or to be incurred in consequence of article 6 (abolition of the ITA and transfer of functions etc.).
(6) Without prejudice to the generality of article 12, a levy issued by the ITA under section 74 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to the district councils in the county of Merseyside in respect of the financial year beginning 1st April 2014 has effect for that year from and after the commencement date as if it had been so issued by the Combined Authority.
(7) No levy shall be issued to Halton Council for that financial year, but that Council must pay a contribution to the Combined Authority equal to the amount which it has budgeted to spend on the functions transferred under article 8 for that financial year.
1988 c. 41; section 74 was amended by the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), Schedule 13, paragraph 72; the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19), Schedule 6, paragraph 21; the Environment Act 1995 (c. 25), Schedule 24; the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29) section 105; the Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), Schedule 8, paragraph 305(a); the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (c. 21), Schedule 1, paragraph 68; the Local Government and Involvement in Public Health Act 2007 (c. 28), Schedule 1, paragraph 16; the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20), Schedule 6, paragraphs 74 and 75 and Schedule 7, Part 4; the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), Schedule 16, paragraph 182(a); the Localism Act 2011 (c. .20), Schedule 7, paragraphs 1, 2; and by S.I. 1994/2825.