This order contains provisions consequential on the Local Government Act 1985 which abolishes the Greater London Council and the metropolitan county councils (`the abolished councils') on 1st April 1986.
In particular it—
- a
transfers to the fire and civil defence authorities established under Part IV of the 1985 Act fire service functions under local Acts (article 2 and Schedule 1);
- b
supplements the provisions of paragraph 14 of Schedule 8 to the 1985 Act by amending enactments dealing with building control in London so as to substitute references to the London borough councils and the Common Council for references to the Greater London Council, require those councils to consult the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority in appropriate cases and provide for separate tribunals of appeal for each inner London borough and the City (article 3 and Schedule 2);
- c
transfers functions of the Greater London Council under local Acts relating to specific open spaces to the council in whom the open space in question vests (article 4);
- d
amends other enactments in consequence of abolition (article 5);
- e
makes transitional provision to enable a London borough council, the Common Council or a metropolitan district council, as local planning authority for its area, to order the stopping up or diversion of footpaths or bridleways in cases where the competent authority would have been an abolished council (article 6);
- f
enables Ministers to amend compulsory purchase orders and other instruments made before the abolition date so as to refer to successor authorities and their areas (article 7);
- g
makes transitional provision to enable the Commission for Local Administration to investigate, or continue to investigate, complaints of maladministration arising from action taken by or on behalf of an abolished council (article 8);
- h
repeals provisions in enactments relating to building control and open spaces consequential on the order or the abolition of the Greater London Council (Schedule 3).