52Recovery of cost of boarding accommodation and of clothing.
(1)Where a local education authority have, under the powers conferred by the foregoing provisions of this Act, provided a pupil with board and lodging otherwise than at a boarding school or college, or with clothing, the authority shall require the parent to pay to the authority in respect thereof such sums, if any, as in the opinion of the authority he is able without financial hardship to pay :
Provided that—
(a)where the board and lodging provided for the pupil were so provided under arrangements made by the local education authority on the ground that in their opinion education suitable to his age ability and aptitude could not otherwise be provided by the authority for him, no sum shall be recoverable in respect thereof under this section ; and
(b)where the board and lodging have been so provided for a pupil in attendance at a county college, the authority, if satisfied that the pupil is in a financial position to pay the whole or any part of a sum recoverable from the parent under this section, may recover that sum or that part thereof from the pupil instead of from the parent.
(2)The sums recoverable under this section shall not exceed the cost to the local education authority of providing the board and lodging, or the cost of the clothing provided, as the case may be.
(3)Any sums payable by virtue of this section may be recovered summarily as a civil debt