Building Societies Act 1986

19 (1) The central office, on receiving from a building society the declaration required by and the other documents referred to in paragraph 16 above, shall refer to the Commission for its determination the question whether or not the alteration of the society’s powers is to be registered.

(2) On a reference to the Commission of the question whether or not the alteration of a society’s powers is to be registered—

(a) if the declaration contains the statement specified in paragraph 16(3)(a) above and the Commission has no reasonable cause to believe that the society in question has carried on any activity comprised in the power to which the obligation imposed by paragraph 16 above extends at any time during the period which began one year before the specified date and expired on the date on which it considers the reference, the Commission shall direct the central office to register the alteration, and

(b) in any other case, the Commission may, as it thinks fit, direct the central office to register, or not to register, the alteration.

(3) The Commission, in deciding, in a case falling within subparagraph (2)(b) above, whether or not to direct the registration of the alteration of a society’s powers may have regard to all the circumstances of the case.

(4) No registration of an alteration shall be effected by the central office under paragraph 4(4) above before the expiry of the period of 21 days beginning with the date on which it receives the declaration required by and the other documents referred to in paragraph 16 above.

(5) If the central office, in pursuance of a direction of the Commission under sub-paragraph (2) above, refuses registration of the alteration of a society’s powers under sub-paragraph (1) above it shall serve on the society a notice—

(a) recording its refusal,

(b) specifying the activity which is believed to constitute a breach of the society’s obligation, and

(c) directing the society to make an application to the Commission under section 38 for a determination under that section whether the activity was or was not within the powers of the society at the time specified under sub-paragraph (b) above,

and shall send a copy of the notice to the Commission.

(6) The central office shall comply with any direction as regards the registration of the alteration of the society’s powers given to it by the Commission consequent on the Commission’s determination of the society’s powers under section 38.

(7) In this paragraph “the specified date” has the same meaning as in paragraph 4 above.