Local Government Act 1972

226 Custody of parish and community documents. E+W

(1) All specified papers of a parish or community shall—

(a) in the case of a parish which is co-extensive with an existing rural parish, remain in the same custody as before 1st April 1974; and

(b) in the case of any other parish or any community, be in the custody of the body to which the documents of that area, other than documents of a specified class, are transferred on that date;

but the parish or community council or, in the case of a parish or community not having a separate parish or community council, the parish meeting in England or the [F1 principal council] in Wales may direct that any such papers shall be deposited in such custody as may be specified in the direction.

(2) Nothing in this Act shall affect the custody of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials and of all other documents containing entries wholly or partly relating to the affairs of the church, as defined by the M1 Local Government Act 1894, or to ecclesiastical charities, as so defined, except documents directed by law to be kept with the papers of a parish or community.

(3) Any person having the custody of any documents mentioned in subsection (2) above shall have reasonable access to the papers mentioned in subsection (1) above and—

(a) in a parish or community having a separate parish or community council, that council;

(b) in any other parish, the parish meeting;

(c) in any other community, the [F1 principal council]; and

(d) in any area in England not falling within paragraph (a) or (b) above, the district council, London borough council or Common Council, as the case may be;

shall have reasonable access to the documents mentioned in subsection (2) above.

(4) Any difference about the custody of or access to any documents mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) above shall, if the area is in [F2 Wales or in] a [F3 metropolitan district,] London borough or the City, be determined by the Secretary of State and in any other case by the county council.

(5) [F4 The council of every county or metropolitan district] shall from time to time enquire into the manner in which specified papers under the control of a parish F5 . . . or parish meeting [F6 in their area] are kept with a view to their proper preservation, and shall make such orders as they think necessary for their preservation, and those orders shall be complied with by the parish F5 . . . or parish meeting.

[F7 (6) Subsection (5) above shall also apply in relation to community councils but as if the functions conferred by it were functions of the principal council.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 226(1)(3)(c) substituted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(5), Sch. 15 para. 47(2) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F2 Words in s. 226(4) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(5), Sch. 15 para. 47(3) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F3 Words inserted by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 16, Sch. 8 para. 22(2)(a)

F4 Words substituted by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 16, Sch. 8 para. 22(2)(b)

F5 Words in s. 226(5) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(5)(8), Sch. 15 para. 47(4), Sch. 18 (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

F6 Words inserted by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1) s. 16, Sch. 8 para. 22(2)(b)

F7 S. 226(6) added (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19, s. 66(5), Sch. 15 para. 47(5) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 4, Sch. 2

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 226 modified (07.08.1991) by S.I.1991/1773, art. 8(2), Sch. 2.

S. 226: certain functions transferred (07.08.1991) by S.I.1991/1773, art. 8, Sch. 2

C2 Ss. 224-234 applied (with modifications) (E.) (24.3.2011) by The Hull and Goole Port Health Authority Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/939), arts. 1(1), 7, Sch. 1

Marginal Citations

M1 1894 c. 73 (56 & 57 Vict.).