Health Services and Public Health Act 1968

65 Financial and other assistance by local authorities to certain voluntary organisations

(1) A local authority may give assistance by way of grant or by way of loan, or partly in the one way and partly in the other, to a voluntary organisation whose activities consist in, or include, the provision of a service similar to a relevant service, the promotion of the provision of a relevant service or a similar one, the publicising of a relevant service or a similar one or the giving of advice with respect to the manner in which a relevant service or a similar one can best be provided, and so may the Greater London Council.

(2) A local authority may also assist any such voluntary organisation as aforesaid by permitting them to use premises belonging to the authority on such terms as may be agreed, and by making available furniture, vehicles or equipment (whether by way of gift, or loan or otherwise) and the services of any staff who are employed by the authority in connection with the premises or other things which they permit the organisation to use, and the Greater London Council may assist in like manner a voluntary organisation with whom arrangements have been made by them under section 27 of the [1946 c. 81.] National Health Service Act 1946 for the provision by the organisation of ambulances and other transport and of staff therefor.

(3) In this section—

(a) " local authority " (except where used in the expression " public or local authority ") means the council of a county, county borough or London borough or the Common Council of the City of London;

(b) " the relevant enactments" means Part III of the National Health Service Act 1946, Part III of the [1948 c. 29.] National Assistance Act 1948, section 3 of the [1958 c. 33.] Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1958, the [1967 c. 39.] National Health Service (Family Planning) Act 1967 and Part I of this Act and section 45 thereof;

(c) " relevant service " means a service the provision of which must or may, by virtue of the relevant enactments, be secured by a local authority; and

(d) " voluntary organisation " means a body the activities of which are carried on otherwise than for profit, but does not include any public or local authority.

(4) The foregoing provisions of this section shall have effect in place of the following provisions authorising the giving of assistance to voluntary organisations, namely, sections 22(5) and 28(3) and (so far as it relates to such organisations) section 63 of the [1946 c. 81.] National Health Service Act 1946, sections 26(6) and 30(2) of the [1948 c. 29.] National Assistance Act 1948, sections 45(4) and 46(3) of the [1963 c. 33.] London Government Act 1963 and, except in so far as it applies to the councils of county districts, section 31(3) of the National Assistance Act 1948.

(5) Subsection (1) of section 46 of the [1958 c. 55.] Local Government Act 1958 shall have effect as if the functions of councils of counties which may, under schemes made under that section, be exercisable by the councils of county districts, included functions under this section of the first mentioned councils.

(6) This section (except in so far as it relates to the Greater London Council) shall have effect in Scotland as if for subsections (3), (4) and (5) thereof, there were substituted the following subsections:—

“(2A) Without prejudice to the powers conferred on local authorities by the foregoing provisions of this section, a council to which this subsection applies may assist any voluntary organisation whose activities consist in or include the provision of meals or recreation for old people to provide such meals or such recreation by contributing to the funds of the organisation, by permitting them to use premises belonging to the council on such terms as may be agreed, and by making available furniture, vehicles or equipment (whether by way of gift or loan or otherwise) and the services of any staff who are employed by the council in connection with the premises or other things which they permit the organisation to use.

This subsection applies to the town councils of small burghs and to district councils.

(2B) In this section—

(a) "local authority" (except where used in the expression " public or local authority ") means, in relation to a county including any small burgh situated therein, the county council, and, in relation to a large burgh, the town council;

(b) " large burgh " and " small burgh " have the same meanings as in the [1947 c. 43.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947, and " district" means a district constituted by a district council scheme within the meaning of section 38 of that Act;

(c) " the relevant enactments " means Part III of the [1947 c. 27.] National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947, Part III of the National Assistance Act 1948, section 3 of the [1958 c. 33.] Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1958 and Part I of this Act and section 45 thereof;

(d) " relevant service " means a service the provision of which must or may, by virtue of the relevant enactments, be secured by a local authority; and

(e) " voluntary organisation " means a body the activities of which are carried on otherwise than for profit, but does not include any public or local authority.

((2c)) This section shall have effect in place of the following provisions authorising the giving of assistance to voluntary organisations, namely, sections 22(3) and 27(3) and (so far as it authorises local health authorities to give assistance to such organisations) section 63 of the [1947 c. 27.] National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1947, and section 26(6), 30(2) and 31(3) of the [1948 c. 29.] National Assistance Act 1948”