Local Government Act 1999

Best value authorities

1 Best value authorities

(1) For the purposes of this Part each of these is a best value authority—

(a) a local authority;

(b) a National Park authority;

(c) the Broads Authority;

(d) a police authority;

(e) a fire authority constituted by a combination scheme and a metropolitan county fire and civil defence authority;

(f) the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority;

(g) a waste disposal authority;

(h) a metropolitan county passenger transport authority;

(i) Transport for London;

(j) the London Development Agency.

(2) In relation to England “local authority” in subsection (1)(a) means—

(a) a county council, a district council, a London borough council, a parish council or a parish meeting of a parish which does not have a separate parish council;

(b) the Council of the Isles of Scilly;

(c) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a local authority;

(d) the Greater London Authority so far as it exercises its functions through the Mayor.

(3) In relation to Wales “local authority” in subsection (1)(a) means a county council, a county borough council or a community council.

(4) In subsection (1)(d) “police authority” means—

(a) a police authority established under section 3 of the Police Act 1996;

(b) the Common Council of the City of London in its capacity as a police authority;

(c) the Metropolitan Police Authority.

(5) In subsection (1)(g) “waste disposal authority” means an authority which—

(a) is a waste disposal authority for the purposes of Part II of the [1990 c. 43.] Environmental Protection Act 1990, or

(b) is established under section 10 of the [1985 c. 51.] Local Government Act 1985 (joint arrangements).

2 Power to extend or disapply

(1) The Secretary of State may by order provide that any of the authorities and bodies mentioned in subsection (2) is a best value authority for the purposes of this Part.

(2) The authorities and bodies are—

(a) a local precepting authority within the meaning of section 39(2) of the [1992 c. 14.] Local Government Finance Act 1992;

(b) a levying body within the meaning of section 74(1) of the [1988 c. 41.] Local Government Finance Act 1988;

(c) a body to which section 75 of that Act applies (special levies).

(3) An order under subsection (1) providing for an authority or body to be a best value authority may provide for section 7 to have effect in relation to that authority or body with specified modifications.

(4) The Secretary of State may by order provide for the Greater London Authority to be a best value authority for the purposes of this Part in relation to—

(a) specified functions of the Authority which it does not exercise through the Mayor;

(b) specified functions which are not functions of the Authority but are functions of another best value authority;

and an order may provide for this Part to have effect in relation to those functions with specified modifications.

(5) The Secretary of State may by order provide that a best value authority specified, or of a description specified, in the order is not to be subject, in relation to such functions as may be specified, to a duty—

(a) which is specified in the order, and

(b) to which the authority would otherwise be subject under this Part.

(6) No order shall be made under this section unless a draft has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.