27.—(1) The Department shall for each financial year make a grant under this section to councils (unless in any particular case the amount of the grant would be nil).
(2) In this section “the rates support grant” means the grant made under this section for any financial year.
(3) The amount of the rates support grant payable to a council for any financial year shall be determined in accordance with regulations and shall not be reduced during the financial year in question.
(4) Subsection (3) is subject to section 28 (reductions in grants).
(5) Regulations under this section may in particular make provision—
(a)for the amount of the rates support grant to be calculated by reference to a formula;
(b)for determining the manner in which and time at which that calculation is to be made.
(6) The formula may be such that the amount payable is nil.
(7) For the purposes of this section “formula” includes methods, principles and rules of any description.
(8) Regulations under this section may contain any provision for a person to exercise a discretion in dealing with any matter which the Department considers appropriate.
(9) Regulations shall not be made under this section unless a draft of the regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the Assembly.
(10) A council shall give the Department such information for the purpose of the calculation mentioned in subsection (5), at such time and in such form as the Department may determine.
(11) Payments in respect of the rates support grant shall be made to a council at such times as the Department may determine.