Local Government Finance Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Subscriptions

Subscriptions to certain local government associations and other bodies

41.—(1) A council may pay reasonable subscriptions, whether annually or otherwise, to the funds of—

(a) associations of councils or officers or members of councils formed for the purpose of consultation upon and discussion of matters relating to the common interests of councils or matters relating to local government;

(b) voluntary bodies established for scientific, technical or professional purposes the objects of which are ancillary to any of the functions of the council.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), a council may pay reasonable subscriptions, whether annually or otherwise, to the funds of professional bodies in respect of the individual membership of officers of the council.

(3) A council shall pay subscriptions under subsection (2) in respect of an officer’s membership of only one professional body at any one time.

(4) In this section “professional body” means—

(a) a professional association, membership of which is wholly or mainly restricted to individuals who have or are seeking a qualification appropriate to the practice of the profession concerned; or

(b) an association the primary purpose of which is the advancement of a particular branch of knowledge, or the fostering of professional expertise, connected with the past or present professions or employments of its members.