Procedure after application to the administering agency
8.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), on receipt of an application made under regulation 4 the administering agency for the area—
(a)in considering whether to approve a grant, shall determine whether there is eligibility for grant and, if there is, whether there are sufficient funds to make payment of the grant having regard to any amounts otherwise allocated or to be allocated in accordance with these Regulations; and
(b)shall exercise the function of approving grants in a manner which it considers is best calculated to ensure that claims for the payment of grant resulting from such approvals can be paid within the period referred to in sub-paragraph (c) of paragraph (1) of regulation 10.
(2) Except in a case where the applicant proposes to carry out the works himself, the administering agency for the area shall not approve a grant unless it is satisfied that a contract for the carrying out of the works which contains terms specified by that administering agency has been entered into with the nominated contractor.
(3) The administering agency for the area shall send written notification of whether grant has been approved—
(a)to the nominated contractor; and
(b)except in a case where the application has been sent by a network installer pursuant to paragraph (3) of regulation 7 and the work done by the network installer by virtue of sub-paragraph (b)(i) of paragraph (3) of regulation 7 and the grant approved by that administering agency, to the applicant.
(4) When notifying the applicant that grant has not been approved, the administering agency for the area shall inform the applicant as to the reasons.