Duration etc. of authority
123.New section 31(1) provides that unless otherwise stated a withdrawal certificate is valid for 3 years. Section 31(2) allows this period to be reduced or extended by the Public Guardian. Section 31(4) provides that a withdrawer’s authority will terminate if there is a guardianship or intervention order made, or continuing attorney appointed, with powers in relation to the funds in question.
124.New section 31A provides for the suspension and termination of authority. To take account of the amendments to the scheme which provide for intromission with more than one account in the adult’s name and for separate certificates authorising one-off transfers, the duty to intimate suspensions and terminations is extended to include such other persons as the Public Guardian thinks fit. On terminating the authority, the Public Guardian must enter prescribed particulars in the register and may issue an interim withdrawal certificate for up to four weeks to the withdrawer.
125.New section 31B provides for applications to renew authority where the person applying holds an existing authority to intromit or where the reserve withdrawer wants to take the place of the main withdrawer where the latter has died, become incapable or has his or her authority terminated. This section will allow the Public Guardian, if she sees fit, to dispense with certain of the application requirements in order to make the renewal process faster and less onerous.
126.New section 31C allows the Public Guardian to specify a time limit on the validity of the certificates of authority to provide information about funds, open a bank account and to transfer specified sums. S/he can also cancel these certificates. It also sets out to whom cancellation must be notified.
