Fees and charges in relation to the exercise of regulator’s functions by local authorities
65.—(1) An appropriate authority may make, and from time to time revise, a scheme prescribing—
(a)fees payable to a regulator in respect of applications—
(i)for the grant of an environmental permit,
(ii)for the variation of an environmental permit,
(iii)for the transfer of an environmental permit in whole or in part,
(iv)for the surrender of an environmental permit in whole or in part;
(b)fees payable to a regulator in respect of a regulator-initiated variation; and
(c)charges payable to a regulator in respect of the subsistence of an environmental permit.
(2) A scheme may in particular—
(a)prescribe specific fees and charges or the methods by which they are to be calculated;
(b)make different provision for different cases, including different provision in relation to different persons, circumstances or localities;
(c)subject to the requirements of these Regulations, provide for the time when, and the manner in which, payments required by the scheme are to be made; and
(d)make such incidental, supplementary and transitional provision as appears necessary or expedient to the appropriate authority.
(3) In making or revising a scheme, so far as practicable the appropriate authority must ensure that the fees and charges payable are sufficient to cover expenditure by a regulator—
(a)in exercising its functions under these Regulations;
(b)in making payment to any person who prepares guidance in relation to an installation or mobile plant that is—
(i)mentioned in regulation 32(2), or
(ii)specified in a direction under regulation 33;
(c)in making payment to the Agency in relation to the exercise of the Agency’s functions under regulation 58.
(4) A scheme must provide for the payment of sums by the regulator to the Agency where those sums are related to expenditure by the Agency under regulation 58 or in preparing guidance referred to in paragraph (3)(b).
(5) If a regulator considers that an operator has failed to pay a charge specified in a scheme in respect of the subsistence of the operator’s permit, the regulator may revoke or suspend the permit.
(6) A revocation or suspension must be by way of notice served under regulation 22(3) or regulation 37.
(7) In this regulation, “regulator” means a local authority on which functions are conferred by regulation 32 or by a direction under regulation 33.