Fire Services Act 1947

6 Power of Secretary of State to make combination schemes.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, if it appears to the Secretary of State that it is expedient in the interests of efficiency that a combination scheme should be made for the areas of any two or more fire authorities, and no scheme satisfactory to him has been submitted to him by the fire authorities for those areas under the last foregoing section, the Secretary of State may for that purpose by order make such, scheme as he considers expedient, and the provisions of subsection (2) of the last foregoing section shall apply in relation to any such scheme as they apply in relation to a scheme made under that section :

Provided that where the population of a county or county borough, as estimated by the Registrar General, is one hundred thousand or upwards, then except with the consent of the council of the county or borough no scheme shall be made by the Secretary of State under this section for the combination of the county or borough with any area or areas of a fire authority or authorities of which the population or aggregate population, as so estimated, exceeds that of the county or borough.

(2) Where the Secretary of State proposes to make a scheme under this section, he shall give to the fire authorities concerned notice of the general nature of the proposed scheme; and unless those authorities give him notice that they assent thereto, he shall cause a public local inquiry to be held by a person appointed by him, not being an officer of a fire authority or of any Government department.

(3) The Secretary of State shall lay before each House of Parliament a draft of any scheme proposed to be made by him under this section, and, where a local inquiry has been held under this section with respect thereto, shall lay together with the draft a copy of the report of the person by whom the inquiry was held; and if either House within the period of forty days beginning with the day on which the draft scheme is laid before it resolves that the scheme be not made, no further proceedings shall be taken thereon, but without prejudice to the laying before Parliament of a new draft scheme.

In reckoning any such period of forty days as aforesaid, no account shall be taken of any time during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.