(This note is not part of the Order)
The Local Government Act 1988 (Defined Activities) (Exemptions) (Wales) Order 1994 (S.I. 1994/339) (as amended by S.I. 1996/3179) (“the 1994 Order”) provides an exemption from the competition requirements of Part I of the Local Government Act 1988 (Competition) for Welsh county councils, county borough councils, fire authorities and certain joint committees thereof. That Order is also applied to Welsh National Park authorities by virtue of the National Park Authorities (Wales) Order 1995 (S.I. 1995/2803) (see Schedule 8 paragraph 2 thereof). Generally, the exemption provided for by the 1994 Order is for the period from 1st April 1994 until 30th September 1997 although for certain authorities in respect of certain activities the exemption period was only until 31st March 1997 or, as the case may be, 30th June 1997 (see the Schedule to the 1994 Order as substituted by S.I. 1996/3179).
Article 2 of the present Order amends the 1994 Order by substituting a new paragraph (1) of article 4 of the 1994 Order. This extends the exemption period from 30th September 1997 to 31st March 1999 in relation to refuse collection; other cleaning; maintenance of ground and the repair and maintenance of vehicles, and from 30th September 1997 to 31st May 1999, in relation to cleaning of buildings; catering for purposes of schools and welfare; other catering and managing sports and leisure facilities. The present Order does not affect the position of those authorities in respect of those activities for which the exemption period expired on 31st March 1997 or, as the case may be, 30th June 1997.