The Bedfordshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008

Transitional duties of the County Council and the district councils

28.—(1) It shall be the duty of the County Council and each of the district councils—

(a) to take, whether alone or together, such steps as may be necessary to prepare for the transfer to the Central Bedfordshire Council of their respective functions, property, rights and liabilities (except as regards the County Council, those relating to Bedford or its inhabitants);

(b) to consult and co-operate with one another and with the shadow authority in order to secure the economic, effective, efficient and timely transfer of the County Council’s and the district councils’ functions, property, rights and liabilities; and

(c) generally, to exercise their functions so as to further the purposes of this Order.

(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), it shall be the duty of the County Council and each of the district councils —

(a) to co-operate in the formation of the Central Implementation Team, and to release the officers concerned from their normal duties at such times or for such periods as the shadow executive or the shadow authority may reasonably require; and

(b) to provide such information relating to its functions as any other of those councils or the shadow authority may reasonably request for the purpose of giving effect to this Order.

(3) Any person authorised in that behalf by the body making a request under paragraph (2)(b) shall be entitled, at all reasonable times, on producing evidence of his authority (if so required by the council or shadow authority from which the information is sought)—

(a) to inspect any record belonging to or under the control of the council or shadow authority providing the information and relating to that council or authority or its functions; and

(b) to take, or be supplied with, a copy of any such record or part of it.

(4) The rights conferred by paragraph (3) include the right to require any record which is not in legible form to be made available in legible form so that the authorised person may inspect or copy it or be supplied with copies.