Housing Act 1980

General improvement areas

1 (1) In Part II of the 1969 Act section 28 (for which subsection (1) of section 50 of the 1974 Act substituted the two sections set out in Part I of Schedule 5 to that Act) is restored as originally enacted, but with the substitution in subsection (1) of the words " can most appropriately be improved " for the original "ought to be improved".

(2) Sub-paragraph (1) above does not affect the operation of the sections so substituted in any case where a preliminary resolution under the first of those sections was passed before the commencement of this Schedule.

2 Subsections (2) to (4) of subsection 50 of the 1974 Act (termination by Secretary of State of status of general improvement area) shall cease to have effect.

3 In relation to any resolution passed by a local authority after the commencement or this Schedule section 30 of the 1969 Act (changes with respect to general improvement areas) shall have effect with the omission of the words " but such a resolution shall be of no effect unless approved by the Minister ".

4 In section 35 of the 1969 Act (disposal and appropriation of land)—

(a) subsections (1), (3), (5) and (7) are hereby repealed ;

(b) in subsection (2) for the words from the beginning to " without his consent" there are substituted the words " Where any land is vested in a local authority for the purposes of this Part of this Act they shall not, without the consent of the Secretary of State ";

(c) in subsection (4) the words "the consent of the Minister under subsection (2) of this section " are hereby repealed; and

(d) in subsection (6) the words from "with the approval" to " particular case " are hereby repealed.

5 For section 37 of the 1969 Act (contributions to local authority expenditure incurred under Part II) there is substituted the following section:—

“37 (1) The Secretary of State may pay contributions to a local authority towards such expenditure incurred by them under this Part of this Act as he may determine.

(2) A contribution under this section shall be a sum payable annually for a period of 20 years beginning with the financial year in which the expenditure towards which the contribution is made is incurred and that sum shall be equal to one-half of the annual loan charges referable to that expenditure.

(3) The aggregate of the expenditure towards which contributions may be made under this section with respect to any general improvement area shall not exceed the sum arrived at by multiplying £400 by the number of dwellings stated by the local authority under the preceding provisions of this Part of this Act to be in the area; but two adjoining general improvement areas may for the purposes of this subsection be treated as one.

(4) The Secretary of State may, with the consent of the Treasury, by order substitute, in subsection (2) above, another fraction for one-half and, in subsection (3) above, another amount for £400; and he may, with the consent of the Treasury, direct that, in the case of a general improvement area specified in the direction or of a general improvement area of a description so specified, subsections (2) and (3) above shall have effect as if a higher fraction or a greater amount were substituted for the fraction or amount for the time being specified therein.

(5) An order under subsection (4) above shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons.”

6 In section 38 of the 1969 Act after the word " Where " there are inserted the words " any contribution has been paid under section 37 of this Act towards " and the words from "has been approved " to " this Act" are omitted.