Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (c. 65)

Part II E+W+S Publication of Information by Local Authorities

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Pt. II (ss. 2-4) applied (6.4.1995) (temp. until 1.4.1996) by S.I. 1995/789, art. 2, Sch. para. 6

2 Duty of authorities to publish information. E+W

(1) The authorities to whom this section applies are—

(a) a county council;

(b) a district council;

(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

(d) a London borough council;

(e) the Common Council of the City of London;

(f) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(g) in Scotland, a regional, islands or district council;

(h) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme under section 5 or 6 of the M1 Fire Services Act 1947, or in Scotland, a joint committee constituted by an administration scheme under section 36 of that Act ;

(j) a police committee constituted under section 2 of the M2 Police Act 1964 or in Scotland a police authority constituted under section 2 of the M3 Police (Scotland) Act 1967 ;

(k) a combined police authority constituted in accordance with the provisions of an amalgamation scheme under section 21 of the Police Act 1964 or in Scotland, a joint police committee constituted in accordance with the provisions of an amalgamation scheme under section 19 or 21A of the Police (Scotland) Act 1967; . . . F2

[F3 (ka) a joint authority established by Part IV of the M4 Local Government Act 1985;]

(l) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

(2) The Secretary of State may issue for the purposes of this section a code of recommended practice as to the publication of information by such authorities about the discharge of their functions and other matters (including forecasts) which he considers to be related.

(3) In relation to the Inner London Education Area functions conferred on education authorities by the Education Acts 1944 to 1980 shall be treated for the purposes of this section as conferred on the Inner London Education Authority.

(4) A code may be prepared either by the Secretary of State or by some other person at his request.

(5) The Secretary of State may from time to time revise or request some other person to revise the whole or any part of a code.

(6) A code may specify—

(a) that publication be made in periodical reports or in any other specified manner;

(b) the occasions on which such publication is to made; and

(c) the form which such publication is to take.

(7) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (6) above, a code may specify, as a manner of publishing information—

(a) its dispatch with, or inclusion in, a demand note on which a rate is levied under the M5 General Rate Act 1967 or the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

[F5 (b) its inclusion in a statement of accounts prepared by an authority to which this section applies in accordance with regulations under section 23 of the M6 Local Government Finance Act 1982 or in an abstract of accounts prepared by such an authority in accordance with regulations under section 105 of the M7 Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973; or]

(c) its being made available for inspection by members of the public at an authority’s office or elsewhere.

(8) A code may specify steps which authorities are to take to inform the public of the availability of the information.

(9) Where a code specifies information as to the cost of the discharge of any of the functions of authorities, it may specify how the cost is to be determined.

(10) More than one code may be issued under this section, and different codes may deal with—

(a) different classes of information;

(b) different kinds of authority or the same kind of authority in different circumstances or different areas ;

(c) different manners, forms or occasions of publication.

Extent Information

E1 This version of this provision extends to England and Wales only; a separate version has been created for Scotland only.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 2(1)(c) repealed by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1) ss. 1, 102, Sch. 17

F2 Word repealed by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 84, Sch. 14 Pt. II para. 59(1)(a)

F3 S. 2(1)(ka) inserted by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 84, Sch. 14 para. 59(1)(a)

F4 S. 2(1)(l) repealed by Education Reform Act 1988 (c. 40, SIF 41:1), s. 237, Sch. 13 Pt. I

F5 S. 2(7)(b) substituted by Local Government Finance Act 1982 (c. 32, SIF 81:1), s. 34, Sch. 5 para 8(1)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2 S. 2(7)(ka) extended by S.I. 1985/1884, art. 10, Sch. 3 para 4(s), 1987/2110 art. 2, Sch. 1 para 8(n)

Marginal Citations

M1 1947 c. 41 (50).

M2 1964 c. 48 (95).

M3 1967 c. 77.

M4 1985 c. 51 (81:1).

M5 1967 c. 9 (103:1, 2).

M6 1982 c. 32 (81:1).

M7 1973 c. 65(81:2).