Decision
8.—(1) If, having considered any representations which the local authority is required or empowered to consider under regulation 7, the local authority decides to proceed with the decision to dispose, the local authority must prepare a report of that decision (“the decision report”).
(2) The decision report must include—
(a)a summary of the representations received and considered by the local authority; and
(b)the reasons for the local authority’s decision.
(3) As soon as reasonably practicable after the local authority has made a decision to dispose of a playing field or any part of a playing field, the local authority must publish, on two consecutive weeks in at least one newspaper circulating in the local authority’s area, a notice of the local authority’s decision (“the decision notice”)—
(a)informing the public of the local authority’s decision to dispose of the playing field or part of a playing field; and
(b)informing the public of the place or places and times at which the decision report may be inspected, and the period for which the decision report will be available for inspection.
(4) The local authority must make the decision report available for inspection during normal office hours at the local authority’s principal office, if it has one, and, if reasonably practicable, at one or more places in the local authority’s area.
(5) The local authority must specify a period of at least 6 weeks, starting from the date on which the decision notice is first published, for which the decision report must be available for inspection in accordance with paragraph (3)(b).
(6) No later than the day on which the decision notice is first published, the local authority must—
(a)display a copy of the decision notice in at least one place on or near the playing field to which the proposed disposal relates, and in any event at each official entrance to the playing field, for at least 6 weeks;
(b)where a local authority has a website, place a copy of the decision notice and the decision report on that website for at least 6 weeks;
(c)send a copy of the decision notice and the decision report to any person from whom the local authority received a substantive representation which the local authority considered in accordance with regulation 7.
(7) The local authority must provide (on payment if required by a local authority of a reasonable charge) a copy of the decision report to any person that requests a copy of the decision report.
(8) The local authority may not proceed with the proposed disposal, or agreement to dispose, until a period of 12 weeks has elapsed from the day on which the decision notice is first published.
(9) If the local authority decides not to proceed with the decision to dispose, the local authority must—
(a)prepare a report of that decision which complies with the requirements in paragraph (2);
(b)send a copy of the report to any person from whom the local authority received a substantive representation which the local authority considered in accordance with regulation 7 as soon as reasonably practicable after the local authority has made the decision.