The Leicestershire (City of Leicester and District of Rutland) (Structural Change) Order 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect to recommendations by the Local Government Commission for England in respect of the structure of local government in the city of Leicester (“Leicester”) and the district of Rutland (“Rutland”).

Article 3 effects a structural change by providing for the transfer, on 1st April 1997, of the functions of Leicestershire County Council in relation to Leicester and Rutland to their respective councils.

Articles 4 and 5 make provision in respect of the Leicestershire Police Authority.

Article 6 makes provision for the purposes of subordinate legislation which may be made under the Fire Services Act 1947 in respect of fire services.

Article 7 makes provision in relation to the structure plan applying to Leicestershire. It also makes provision to enable the local plan prepared by the councils of Leicester and Rutland under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to contain minerals and waste policies.

Article 8 provides for Leicester and Rutland to cease to form part of Leicestershire on 1st April 1997 and for new counties of Leicester and Rutland to be constituted on that date (but without county councils).

Article 9 makes provision for whole council elections in Leicester and Rutland in 1996, 1999 and every fourth year after that year.

Article 10 provides for the retirement, on 1st April 1997, of existing county councillors elected for divisions in Leicester and Rutland. It also makes provision in respect of casual vacancies in the office of a councillor who, by virtue of the Order, would retire before the day he would regularly have retired.