The Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting) (England) Regulations 2003

Use of amounts set aside under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989E+W

33.—(1) [F1Subject to paragraph (4),] any local authority—

(a)whose credit ceiling on 31st March 2004, as determined under Part III of Schedule 3 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (provisions supplementing Part IV – credit ceiling)(1), was a negative amount; and

(b)who was a debt-free authority on that date,

may treat [F2the whole or part of] the amount specified in paragraph (2) as if it were a capital receipt to which regulation 23 applies.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), the amount specified is the amount which was, on 31st March 2004, the amount set aside by the authority (whether voluntarily or pursuant to a requirement under Part IV of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (revenue accounts and capital finance of local authorities)) as provision to meet credit liabilities.

(3) The amount specified in paragraph (2) shall not exceed the amount by which the local authority’s credit ceiling on 31st March 2004 was less than nil.

[F3(4) Any decision to treat the whole or part of the amount specified in paragraph (2) as if it were a capital receipt, by virtue of paragraph (1), shall be made by the local authority before 1st October 2005.

(5) Any amount treated as if it were a capital receipt, by virtue of paragraph (1), shall be treated as if it were received during the financial year beginning on 1st April 2004.]