Local Government Act 1988

1 Defined authorities

(1) For the purposes of this Part each of the following is a defined authority—

(a) a local authority,

(b) an urban development corporation established by an order under section 135 of the [1980 c. 65.] Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980,

(c) a development corporation established for the purposes of a new town,

(d) the Commission for the New Towns,

(e) a police authority constituted under section 2 of the [1964 c. 48.] Police Act 1964 or as mentioned in section 3(1) of that Act, or established by section 24 or 25 of the [1985 c. 51.] Local Government Act 1985,

(f) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme and a metropolitan county fire and civil defence authority,

(g) the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority,

(h) a metropolitan county passenger transport authority,

(i) an authority established by an order under section 10(1) of the Local Government Act 1985 (waste disposal),

(j) a joint education committee established by an order under paragraph 3 of Part II of Schedule 1 to the [1944 c. 31.] Education Act 1944 and the Inner London Education Authority,

(k) a water development board in Scotland, and

(l) the Scottish Special Housing Association.

(2) In the application of this Part to England and Wales, “local authority” in subsection (1) above means—

(a) a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a parish council, a community council or the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as local authority or police authority.

(3) In the application of this Part to Scotland, in subsection (1) above—

(a) “local authority” means a regional, islands or district council or any joint board or joint committee within the meaning of the [1973 c. 65.] Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, and

(b) “water development board” has the same meaning as in section 109(1) of the [1980 c. 45.] Water (Scotland) Act 1980.

(4) In a case where two or more defined authorities arrange under section 101 of the [1972 c. 70.] Local Government Act 1972 for the discharge by a joint committee of theirs of any of their functions, the committee shall itself be treated as a defined authority for the purposes of this Part in its application to England and Wales.