Local Government Finance Act 1988

[F1 Part 9 E+W Pooling of authorities

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 7B inserted (with effect in accordance with s. 1(6) of the amending Act) by Local Government Finance Act 2012 (c. 17), s. 1(4), Sch. 1

Designation of pool of authorities E+W

34 (1) The Secretary of State may, in accordance with this paragraph, designate two or more relevant authorities as a pool of authorities for the purposes of the provisions of this Schedule applying to such pools (as to which, see paragraphs 36 and 37).

(2) The Secretary of State may make a designation only if each authority covered by the designation has agreed to it.

(3) The Secretary of State—

(a) may revoke a designation (in particular if any condition of the designation is breached), and

(b) must do so if any authority covered by the designation asks the Secretary of State to do so.

(4) Subject to sub-paragraph (5), a designation has effect—

(a) for the year beginning after it is made, and

(b) for each subsequent year, unless previously revoked.

(5) A designation or revocation has effect for a year only if it is made before the Secretary of State gives the notification for the year required by paragraph 12(2) (notification of general basis of calculation to be specified in local government finance report for year), unless sub-paragraph (6) applies.

(6) A revocation made after the Secretary of State has given that notification has effect for the year for which the notification was given if—

(a) it is made in response to a request under sub-paragraph (3)(b) made within the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the notification was given, and

(b) it is made before the local government finance report for that year is laid before the House of Commons.

(7) After making or revoking a designation, the Secretary of State must notify the authorities covered by the designation.

(8) A notification under sub-paragraph (7) must be given before or at the same time as the Secretary of State gives the notification required by paragraph 12(2) for the year to which the designation or revocation relates, unless sub-paragraph (9) applies.

(9) A notification under sub-paragraph (7) of a revocation made in the circumstances described in sub-paragraph (6) must be given as soon as is reasonably practicable after it is made.

Designations subject to conditions E+W

35 (1) A designation under paragraph 34 must be made subject to conditions—

(a) requiring the authorities to which it relates to appoint a lead authority to exercise the functions specified in the conditions, and

(b) requiring the authorities, if the designation is revoked, to take the steps specified in the conditions before the revocation takes effect.

(2) A designation under paragraph 34 may be made subject to such other conditions as the Secretary of State thinks fit.

(3) The Secretary of State may vary a designation by—

(a) adding a condition,

(b) modifying a condition, or

(c) removing a condition (other than one mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)).

(4) Before varying a designation under sub-paragraph (3), the Secretary of State must consult the authorities covered by the designation.

(5) After varying a designation under sub-paragraph (3), the Secretary of State must notify those authorities.

Effect of designation in relation to Part 5 E+W

36 (1) Where a designation of a pool of authorities has effect for a year, Part 5 of this Schedule (principal payments in connection with local retention of non-domestic rates) applies in relation to the pool as if—

(a) the authorities in the pool were not relevant authorities, but

(b) the pool were itself a relevant authority.

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) does not apply in relation to paragraph 15(5) (duty to send copy of amending report to each relevant authority).

(3) This paragraph does not prevent—

(a) the local government finance report for the year, or an amending report under paragraph 15 in relation to that report, from also making provision in relation to the individual authorities in the pool,

(b) the Secretary of State from making calculations based on the local government finance report, or any such amending report, in relation to each of those authorities, or

(c) the Secretary of State from notifying the results of the calculations to each of those authorities.

(4) But paragraphs 14 and 17 (payments following reports) do not apply in relation to such calculations.

Effect of designation in relation to Part 7 E+W

37 (1) Regulations under paragraph 22, 25 or 28 (levy payments, safety net payments and safety net payments on account) may provide for a pool of authorities to be treated as a relevant authority for the purposes of the regulations.

(2) Such regulations may, in particular, make provision—

(a) that is similar to provision which may be made under the paragraph in question apart from sub-paragraph (1) above, or

(b) that applies such provision with modifications.

(3) Where regulations under paragraph 22 apply to a pool of authorities for a year, paragraphs 23 and 24 (calculation and making of levy payments) apply in relation to the authorities and the year as if references in them to a relevant authority were to the pool.

(4) Where regulations under paragraph 25 apply to a pool of authorities for a year, paragraphs 26 and 27 (calculation and making of safety net payments) apply in relation to the authorities and the year as if references in them to a relevant authority were to the pool.

(5) Where a designation of a pool of authorities has effect for a year, paragraph 30 (distribution of remaining balance) applies in relation to the pool as if—

(a) the authorities in the pool were not relevant authorities, but

(b) the pool were itself a relevant authority.

(6) Regulations under paragraph 30 may provide for a pool of authorities to be treated as a relevant authority for the purposes of the regulations.

(7) This paragraph does not prevent—

(a) regulations under paragraph 22, 25, 28 or 30 from also making provision in relation to the individual authorities in a pool,

(b) the Secretary of State from making calculations under paragraph 23, 26 or 30(3) based on such regulations in relation to each of those authorities, or

(c) the Secretary of State from notifying the results of the calculations to each of those authorities.

(8) But paragraphs 24, 27 and 30(6) (payments following calculations) do not apply in relation to such calculations.

Further provisions about effect of designation E+W

38 (1) A requirement under Part 5 or 7 of this Schedule in its application by virtue of paragraph 36 or 37 to notify a pool of authorities of any matter is a requirement to notify each authority in the pool of that matter.

(2) Where by virtue of either of those paragraphs a pool of authorities is required to make a payment to the Secretary of State, each authority in the pool is jointly and severally liable to make that payment.

(3) Where by virtue of either of those paragraphs the Secretary of State is required to make a payment to a pool of authorities, the payment is to be made to the lead authority appointed in accordance with conditions under paragraph 35(1).]