20 Joint committees and joint boards.S
After section 62 of the 1973 Act (standing orders, etc.) there shall be inserted—
“62A Incorporation of joint committees.
(1)Where—
(a)arrangements are made (whether under this Act or any other enactment) for two or more local authorities (in this Part of this Act referred to as “the relevant authorities”) to discharge any of their functions, or any functions in any area, jointly;
(b)the relevant authorities have—
(i)appointed, or propose to appoint, a joint committee to discharge those functions; and
(ii)advertised their proposals in accordance with subsection (2) below; and
(c)application is made, in writing, to the Secretary of State by the relevant authorities for the incorporation of that joint committee (or proposed joint committee) as a joint board to carry out those functions,
the Secretary of State may by order establish a joint board in accordance with this section to discharge those functions.
(2)Before applying to the Secretary of State under subsection (1)(c) above, the relevant authorities shall place in at least one daily newspaper circulating in their areas an advertisement—
(a)giving brief details of what they propose to do;
(b)giving an address to which representations about the proposal may be sent; and
(c)fixing a date, being not less than 8 weeks after the date on which the advertisement appears, within which representations may be made,
and they shall include with their application evidence that an advertisement has been placed.
(3)Where any representations are timeously made in response to an advertisement placed in accordance with subsection (2) above, the relevant authorities shall consider them and shall include with their application a statement that they have done so.
(4)An order under subsection (1) above shall delegate to the joint board such of the functions of the relevant authorities as may be specified in the order and may include provision with respect to—
(a)the constitution and proceedings of the joint board;
(b)matters relating to the membership of the joint board;
(c)the transfer to the joint board of any property, rights and liabilities of the relevant authorities;
(d)the transfer to the joint board of any staff of the relevant authorities;
(e)the supply of services or facilities by the relevant authorities to the joint board,
and may, without prejudice to the generality of paragraphs (a) to (e) above, apply (with or without modifications) any of the provisions of Part V of this Act to a joint board as those provisions apply to a joint committee.
(5)A joint board established under this section shall be a body corporate and shall have a common seal.
(6)An order under subsection (1) above shall be in terms agreed by the relevant authorities.
(7)An instrument containing an order under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
62B Power of Secretary of State to establish joint boards.
(1)Where the Secretary of State considers—
(a)that any functions, or any functions in any area, of the relevant authorities should be discharged jointly by those authorities; and
(b)that arrangements, or satisfactory arrangements, for the joint discharge of those functions—
(i)have not been made by the relevant authorities; or
(ii)have ceased to be in operation,
he may, after consulting the relevant authorities, by order establish a joint board in accordance with this section.
(2)Subsections (4) and (5) of section 62A of this Act shall apply to a joint board established under this section as they apply to a joint board established under that section with the substitution of a reference to subsection (1) of this section for the reference to subsection (1) of that section.
(3)No order shall be made under subsection (1) above unless a draft of the instrument containing the order has been laid before, and approved by resolution of, each House of Parliament.
62C Further provisions relating to joint boards.
(1)Where a joint board has been established by order under section 62A or 62B of this Act, the Secretary of State may by order provide—
(a)for excluding any functions, or any functions in any area, from those specified in the order establishing that joint board; and
(b)for the dissolution of the joint board.
(2)An order shall not be made under subsection (1) above unless the Secretary of State has consulted the relevant authorities.
(3)An instrument containing an order under this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.
(4)The power to make an order under this section or section 62A or 62B of this Act shall include power to make such transitional, incidental, supplemental or consequential provision as the Secretary of State thinks necessary or expedient.
(5)An order under this section or section 62A or 62B of this Act may, for the purpose of making such provision as is mentioned in subsection (4) above—
(a)apply with or without modifications;
(b)extend, exclude or amend; or
(c)repeal or revoke with or without savings,
any enactment or any instrument made under any enactment.”.