Valid from 25/11/2009
(1)The participating authorities in each region other than London must for the purposes of this Part make a scheme for the establishment and operation of a body (whether or not incorporated) for the region.
(2)A body under subsection (1) is to be known as a “Leaders' Board”.
(3)For the purposes of this section, “participating authority,” in relation to a region, means any of the following authorities whose area falls wholly or partly within the region—
(a)a district council;
(b)a county council;
(c)a National Park authority;
(d)the Broads Authority.
(4)Before making a scheme under subsection (1) the participating authorities in a region must consult such persons (if any) as they consider appropriate.
(5)After making a scheme under subsection (1) the participating authorities in a region must submit it to the Secretary of State for approval.
(6)If the Secretary of State approves a scheme under subsection (1), the participating authorities are to establish the body in accordance with the scheme.
(7)The Secretary of State may give such sums as the Secretary of State considers appropriate—
(a)to a Leaders' Board, or
(b)to a participating authority in a region in respect of the Leaders' Board for the region.
(8)If the Secretary of State considers that a Leaders' Board established for a region is not operating effectively, the Secretary of State may by direction withdraw approval for the scheme under which it is established (and subsection (6) accordingly ceases to apply in relation to that scheme).
(9)The Secretary of State must by regulations make provision for Part 5A of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (public admission to meetings of principal councils, public access to documents, etc) to apply in relation to Leaders' Boards as it applies in relation to principal councils (within the meaning of that Part).
(10)The application referred to in subsection (9) may be with such modifications as the Secretary of State considers necessary or expedient.
Valid from 01/04/2010
(1)References in this Part to “responsible regional authorities”, in relation to a region, are to the following (acting jointly)—
(a)the regional development agency for the region, and
(b)the Leaders' Board for the region.
(2)But if during any period after the coming into force of this section there is no Leaders' Board for a region, the references in this Part to “responsible regional authorities” are in relation to that period and region to be read as references to the regional development agency for the region.