The Mayor’s final draft of the proposed consolidated budget
6(1)After—
(a)the draft consolidated budget has been approved (with or without amendment) under paragraph 5 above, or
(b)such period as the Mayor considers reasonable has elapsed without the draft consolidated budget having been so approved,
the Mayor shall prepare a final draft of his proposed consolidated budget for the financial year (the “final draft budget”).
(2)In a case falling within paragraph (b) of sub-paragraph (1) above—
(a)the Mayor shall lay before the Assembly in accordance with the standing orders of the Authority a statement that he is proceeding by virtue of that paragraph; and
(b)on the laying of the statement, the Assembly shall be deemed to have approved the draft consolidated budget without amendment.
(3)Whether the Assembly have approved the draft consolidated budget with or without amendment, the final draft budget may be—
(a)the draft consolidated budget, as approved by the Assembly, with the amendments (if any) made under paragraph 5 above;
(b)the draft consolidated budget amended by the Mayor as he considers appropriate; or
(c)the same as the draft consolidated budget.
(4)The Mayor shall—
(a)present the final draft budget to the Assembly; and
(b)publish it in such manner as he may determine.
(5)If—
(a)the Assembly approved the draft consolidated budget with amendments under paragraph 5 above, but
(b)the final draft budget is anything other than the draft consolidated budget with those amendments,
the Mayor, at the time when he presents the final draft budget to the Assembly, shall lay before the Assembly in accordance with standing orders of the Authority a written statement of his reasons for preparing a final draft budget which is not the draft consolidated budget with those amendments.
(6)It shall be the duty of the Mayor (having regard to paragraph 8(7) below) to comply with sub-paragraph (4) above before the last day of February in the financial year preceding that to which the final draft budget relates.