PART 5Community empowerment
CHAPTER 2Community right to challenge
86Provision of advice and assistance
1
The Secretary of State may do anything that the Secretary of State considers appropriate for the purpose of giving advice or assistance to a relevant body in relation to—
a
the preparation of an expression of interest for submission to a relevant authority and its submission to a relevant authority,
b
participation in a procurement exercise carried out by a relevant authority in response to an expression of interest, or
c
the provision of a relevant service on behalf of a relevant authority following such a procurement exercise.
2
The Secretary of State may do anything that the Secretary of State considers appropriate for the purpose of giving advice or assistance about the operation of this Chapter to a body or person other than a relevant body.
3
The things that the Secretary of State may do under this section include, in particular—
a
the provision of financial assistance to a relevant body;
b
the making of arrangements with a body or person (whether or not a relevant body), including arrangements for things that may be done by the Secretary of State under this section to be done by that body or person;
c
the provision of financial assistance to a body or person other than a relevant body in connection with arrangements under paragraph (b).
4
In this section references to a relevant body include a body that the Secretary of State considers was formed wholly or partly by employees or former employees of the relevant authority for the purposes of, or for purposes including—
a
participating in a procurement exercise carried out by the authority, or
b
providing a relevant service on the authority's behalf.
5
In this section—
a
the reference to giving advice or assistance includes providing training or education, and
b
any reference to the provision of financial assistance is to the provision of financial assistance by any means (including the making of a loan and the giving of a guarantee or indemnity).