53.—(1) Subject to this Article and Articles 54 to 58, a private company (other than a company not having a share capital) may be re-registered as a public company if—
(a)a special resolution that it should be so re-registered is passed; and
(b)an application for re-registration is delivered to the registrar, together with the necessary documents.
A company cannot be re-registered under this Article if it has previously been re-registered as unlimited.
(2) The special resolution must—
(a)alter the company's memorandum so that it states that the company is to be a public company; and
(b)make such other alterations in the memorandum as are necessary to bring it (in substance and in form) into conformity with the requirements of this Order with respect to the memorandum of a public company (the alterations to include compliance with Article 35(1)F1 as regards the company's name); and
(c)make such alterations in the company's articles as are requisite in the circumstances.
(3) The application must be in the prescribed form and be signed by a director or secretary of the company; and the documents to be delivered with it are the following—
(a)a printed copy of the memorandum and articles as altered in pursuance of the resolution;
(b)a copy of a written statement by the company's auditors that in their opinion the relevant balance sheet shows that at the balance sheet date the amount of the company's net assets (within the meaning given to that expression by Article 272(2)) was not less than the aggregate of its called-up share capital and undistributable reserves;
(c)a copy of the relevant balance sheet, together with a copy of an unqualified report (as defined in Article 56) by the company's auditors in relation to that balance sheet;
(d)if Article 54 applies, a copy of the valuation report under paragraph (2)(b) of that Article; and
(e)[F2subject to paragraph (3A),] a statutory declaration in the prescribed form by a director or secretary of the company—
(i)that the special resolution required by this Article has been passed and that the conditions of Articles 54 and 55 (so far as applicable) have been satisfied, and
(ii)that, between the balance sheet date and the application for re-registration, there has been no change in the company's financial position that has resulted in the amount of its net assets becoming less than the aggregate of its called-up share capital and undistributable reserves.
[F2(3A) In place of the statutory declaration referred to in sub-paragraph (e) of paragraph (3), there may be delivered to the registrar using electronic communications a statement made by a director or secretary of the company as to the matters set out in heads (i) and (ii) of that sub-paragraph.
(3B) Any person who makes a false statement under paragraph (3A) which he knows to be false or does not believe to be true is liable to imprisonment or a fine, or both.]
(4) In this Article and Articles 54 and 56, “relevant balance sheet” means a balance sheet prepared as at a date not more than 7 months before the company's application under this Article.
(5) A resolution that a company be re-registered as a public company may change the company name by deleting the word “company” or the words “and company”, including any abbreviation of them.
F1prosp. insertion by 2005 NI 17 (which amendment repealed (6.4.2007) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), s. 1295, Sch. 16; S.I. 2007/1093, art. 5, Sch. 2 Pt. 2)
F2SR 2003/3
F3Order repealed (prosp.) by Companies Act 2006 (c. 46), ss. 1284(2), 1295, 1300(2), Sch. 16 and the repeal being partly in force, as to which see individual Articles (with savings (with adaptations) by Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 6, Saving and Commencement Nos. 3 and 5 (Amendment)) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/674), arts. 2(3), {4}, Sch. 2) and subject to amendments (6.4.2008) by Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments etc) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/948), arts. 2(2), 3(1)(b)(2), Sch. 1 paras. 135, 147, 148 {Sch. 2 Note 1} (with arts. 6, 11, 12) and subject to amendments (6.4.2008) by S.R. 2008/133, {regs. 2, 3}