Under Part I of the Local Government Act 1988, work falling within certain defined activities may only be carried out by defined authorities if it has previously been put out to tender in accordance with the provisions of the Act. “Defined authorities” include local authorities and police authorities.

Articles 2 and 4 of this Order amend the Act to add financial services, information technology services and personnel services to the existing defined activities.

Article 3 removes the exemption for work consisting of the cleaning of police buildings, except in so far as such work consists of the cleaning of buildings used for the purposes of regional crime squads, and in Scotland, the Scottish Crime Squad. Article 5 makes supplementary provision and article 6 makes transitional provision in relation to works contracts.