Statutory Instruments

2011 No. 1761

Police, England And Wales

Regulatory Reform, England And Wales

The Legislative Reform (Epping Forest) Order 2011

Made

18th July 2011

Coming into force

1st August 2011

The Secretary of State, in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 1 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006(1), makes the following Order.

The Secretary of State considers that the conditions in section 3(2) of that Act are satisfied.

The Secretary of State has consulted in accordance with section 13 of that Act and has laid a draft Order and explanatory document before Parliament in accordance with section 14 of that Act.

Pursuant to section 15(1)(b) of that Act, the affirmative resolution procedure (within the meaning of section 17 of that Act) applies in relation to the making of this Order.

In accordance with section 17(2) of that Act, the draft has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament after the expiry of the 40-day period.

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Legislative Reform (Epping Forest) Order 2011 and shall come into force on the day two weeks after the day on which it is made.

Amendment of the Epping Forest Act 1878

2.—(1) The Epping Forest Act 1878(2) is amended as follows.

(2) After section 52 (publication of notices) insert—

Wanstead Flats: Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre

52A.(1) Nothing in or done under this Act shall make it unlawful for the Metropolitan Police Authority or the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis during the period specified in subsection (2)—

(a)to erect a structure (known as a Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre), which may consist of several temporary structures, in the part of Epping Forest known as Wanstead Flats, and

(b)to enclose and enjoy exclusive possession of the area comprising and immediately surrounding that Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre, providing that the area does not exceed 35 000 square metres.

(2) The period specified for the purposes of subsection (1) begins immediately after midnight on 23rd June 2012 and ends immediately before midnight on 20th September 2012.

(3) Nothing in this Act shall prevent the Conservators from granting permission to the Metropolitan Police Authority or the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to act in accordance with paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (1).

Reference to Metropolitan Police Authority

3.  References in the amendments made by this Order to the Metropolitan Police Authority include references to any other body required at any time by an Act of Parliament to secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police force.

James Brokenshire

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State

Home Office

18th July 2011

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Epping Forest Act 1878 to allow the Metropolitan Police Authority or the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (“the Commissioner”) to construct a Muster, Briefing and Deployment Centre in the area of Epping Forest known as Wanstead Flats for policing purposes for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Order removes the criminal offence that would otherwise attach to this construction and exclusive temporary possession for a specified time – from 23rd June 2012 to 20th September 2012. The Order furthermore enables the Conservators of Epping Forest to grant permission to the Metropolitan Police Authority or the Commissioner to construct such a Centre.

Article 3 of the Order widens the description of the term “Metropolitan Police Authority” to cover any other body required by an Act to “secure the maintenance of the metropolitan police force” – a duty of the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime conferred by Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill currently before Parliament.