(1)The London borough councils and the Common Council shall not later than 1st September 1985 establish a joint committee to discharge the functions mentioned in subsection (2) below; and the councils of the districts in each metropolitan county shall not later than that date establish a joint committee to discharge those functions.
(2)The joint committee required to be established under this section by the councils in Greater London or a metropolitan county shall—
(a)co-ordinate the making of preparations by those councils—
(i)for the transfer of the functions of the Greater London Council or the council of that county which will on the abolition date become functions of those councils by virtue of any provision made by or under this Act; and
(ii)for the exercise by those councils of functions which by virtue of any such provision will on that date cease to be exercisable concurrently with those councils by the Greater London Council or the council of that county;
(b)consider whether any of those functions could with advantage be discharged jointly by those councils or any of them and, if of that opinion, promote the making of arrangements in that behalf under section 101 of the principal Act;
(c)consider whether it is desirable that a scheme under section 48 or 88 above, or schemes under both those sections, should be made by those councils and, if of that opinon, promote the making of such a scheme or such schemes;
(d)consult and co-operate, as respects matters affecting those councils or their areas, with the new authorities, the residuary bodies and any other body to which functions or property of the Greater London Council or the council of that county will be transferred by virtue of any provision made by or under this Act and with the staff commission ;
(e)consider, in consultation with the authorities and bodies mentioned in paragraph (d) above, whether they could with advantage make joint arrangements for the provision of any services or goods required in connection with the discharge of the functions of those councils, authorities and bodies and, if of that opinion, promote the making of such arrangements ; and
(f)exercise the committee's powers under section 96 below so as to obtain from the Greater London Council or the council of that county and their officers any information the committee may require for discharging its functions under this section.
(3)Any such joint committee shall consist of such number of members of each of the councils by which it is required to be established as they may determine.
(4)The first meeting of any such joint committee shall be held at such time and place as the councils by which it is required to be established may determine.
(5)The matters for determination under subsections (3) and (4) above by the councils there mentioned shall (in the absence of agreement) be determined in accordance with the wishes of a majority of those councils.
(6)The expenses of a joint committee under this section shall be defrayed by the councils by which it is required to be established in such proportions as the committee may decide or, in default of a decision by the committee, as the Secretary of State may determine.