http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1992/14/section/65Local Government Finance Act 1992An Act to provide for certain local authorities to levy and collect a new tax, to be called council tax; to abolish community charges; to make further provision with respect to local government finance (including provision with respect to certain grants by local authorities); and for connected purposes.1992-03-06texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-04-17Expert Participation2026-04-01 Part I Council Tax: England and WalesChapter VI Miscellaneous and Supplemental Duty to consult ratepayers.651A relevant authority shall consult under this section persons or bodies appearing to it to be representative of persons subject to non-domestic rates under sections 43 and 45 of the 1988 Act as regards hereditaments situated in the authority’s area.2Consultations must be made as to each financial year, and must be about the authority’s proposals for expenditure (including capital expenditure) in that financial year; and the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe matters which are to be treated as expenditure for this purpose.3In this section “relevant authority” means a billing authority or a major precepting authority, apart from a police and crime commissioner or a fire and rescue authority created by an order under section 4A of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. . . ..4The duty to consult as to a financial year shall be performed—awhere the authority is a billing authority, before it makes calculations (otherwise than by way of substitute) in relation to the financial year under section 31A above or section 32 above;bwhere the authority is a precepting authority, before it issues the first precept to be issued by it for the financial year.5In performing the duty to consult, an authority shall have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State concerning—apersons or bodies to be regarded for the purposes of this section as representative of persons subject to non-domestic rates under sections 43 and 45 of the 1988 Act as regards hereditaments situated in the authority’s area; andbthe timing and manner of consultations under this section.6An authority shall make available to persons or bodies it proposes to consult under this section such information as may be prescribed and is in its possession or control; and it shall do so in such form and manner, and at such time, as may be prescribed.S. 65 amended (28.11.1994) by S.I. 1994/2825, reg. 50S. 65 modified (12.1.2000temp.from 1.4.2000 until 31.3.2001) by S.I. 1999/3435, art. 4Words in s. 65(3) repealed (1.1.2001) by 1999 c. 29, s. 423, Sch. 34 Pt. I (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/3379, art. 2 (with art. 3)Pt. I (ss. 1-69) modified (6.3.1992) by Local Government Act 1992 (c. 19), s. 18(1)(a)(b).Pt. I (ss. 1-69) modified (31.3.1992) by S.I. 1992/549, art.3.Pt. I (ss. 1-69) modified (31.3.1992) by S.I. 1992/550, arts. 3, 4Pt. I (ss. 1-69) modified (28.11.1994) by S.I. 1994/2825, reg. 3Pt. 1 modified (24.12.2008) by The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3022), regs. 1(2), 7Pt. 1 modified (24.12.2008) by The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/3022), regs. 1(2), 8Words in s. 65(4)(a) inserted (3.12.2011) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(2), Sch. 7 para. 28; S.I. 2011/2896, art. 2(i)Pt. 1 Ch. 6 modified by S.I. 2008/3022, reg. 15A, Sch. 3 (as inserted (25.1.2012) by The Local Government (Structural Changes) (Finance) (Amendment) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/20), regs. 1(2), 7, 11, Sch. 2) (as amended (2.1.2019) by The Local Government (Structural and Boundary Changes) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1296), regs. 1, 10, 12)Words in s. 65(3) inserted (22.11.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 26(3), 157(1); S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(a)Words in s. 65(3) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 1 para. 71(3); S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 38