Access to Justice Act 1999

83 Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority

(1) In the [1997 c. 25.] Justices of the Peace Act 1997, after section 30 insert—

“Greater London

30A Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority

(1) There shall be a body corporate known as the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority.

(2) The Authority shall be the magistrates' courts committee for Greater London.

30B Regulations about Authority

(1) The Lord Chancellor may by regulations made by statutory instrument make provision relating to the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority, including—

(a) provision about the membership of the Authority (including provision as to who is to chair it and about the payment of remuneration to its members); and

(b) provision about the Authority’s constitution and procedure (including quorum and meetings).

(2) A statutory instrument containing (whether alone or with other provisions) regulations made by virtue of this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

30C Procedure of Authority

(1) The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority may, with the approval of the Lord Chancellor, act through committees appointed by the Authority which, if they include at least one member of the Authority, may also include persons who are not members.

(2) The Authority may also arrange for the discharge of any of their functions—

(a) by the chairman of the Authority; or

(b) by the justices' chief executive.

(3) Subject to regulations made under this Act, the Authority shall have power to regulate their own procedure, including quorum.

Provisions applying to all magistrates' courts committees.”

(2) After section 59 of that Act insert—

“Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority

59A Functions

(1) The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority shall provide such petty sessional court-houses and other accommodation, and such goods and services, as they may determine proper for the performance of the Authority’s functions and those of—

(a) the magistrates for Greater London;

(b) any committee of the magistrates for Greater London; and

(c) the justices' clerks for any part of Greater London.

(2) The Authority may do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of the function in subsection (1) above; but the Authority may not borrow money except insofar as authorised by any other enactment to do so.

59B Funding

(1) The Lord Chancellor may pay grants to the Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority in respect of the Authority’s expenditure.

(2) Grants under this section shall be paid at such times, in such manner and subject to such conditions as the Lord Chancellor may with the concurrence of the Treasury determine.

(3) Each London local authority shall pay to the Authority such amount in respect of—

(a) any kind of the Authority’s expenditure in any year; or

(b) if less, such amount as may, in relation to that kind of expenditure and that year, be for the time being determined by the Lord Chancellor,

as may be determined in accordance with regulations made by the Lord Chancellor by statutory instrument.

(4) The Lord Chancellor may by regulations made by statutory instrument make provision as to the making of payments under subsection (3) above, including provision—

(a) as to whether payments are to be made by instalments or otherwise;

(b) as to the time when payments are to be made;

(c) conferring a right to interest on anything unpaid; and

(d) permitting a London local authority to anticipate a payment under this section when making calculations in accordance with section 32 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (originally or by way of substitute).

(5) The Lord Chancellor may with the consent of the Treasury make provision by regulations made by statutory instrument as to how any kind of the Authority’s expenditure is to be determined.

(6) Subject to any such regulations, the Lord Chancellor may direct that in determining any kind of the Authority’s expenditure there shall be taken into account or disregarded, to such extent as may be specified in the direction, such items as may be so specified.

(7) A statutory instrument containing regulations made by virtue of this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(8) In this section “London local authority” means the council of any London borough or the Common Council of the City of London.

59C Consultation

(1) The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority shall consult each London local authority before making any determination under section 59A(1) above or any determination as to—

(a) the salary to be paid to a justices' clerk or justices' chief executive and to staff of the Authority; or

(b) the nature and amount of the expenses which the Authority may incur in the discharge of their functions or may authorise to be incurred.

(2) Any London local authority which is aggrieved by such a determination may, within one month from the receipt by the London local authority of written notice of the determination, appeal to the Lord Chancellor, whose decision shall be binding upon the Authority and the London local authority concerned.

(3) In this section, “London local authority” has the same meaning as in section 59B above.

59D Accounting

(1) The Greater London Magistrates' Courts Authority shall keep a fund to be known as the GLMCA fund.

(2) All the Authority’s receipts shall be paid into the GLMCA fund and all the Authority’s expenditure shall be paid out of it.

(3) The Authority shall—

(a) keep accounts of payments made into or out of the GLMCA fund; and

(b) make arrangements for the proper administration of their financial affairs.

(4) The Lord Chancellor may by regulations made by statutory instrument make provision applying—

(a) Part VIII of the [1988 c. 41.] Local Government Finance Act 1988 (financial administration); and

(b) Part II of the [1998 c. 18.] Audit Commission Act 1998 (accounts and audit of public bodies),

to the Authority, with or without modifications and exceptions.

(5) A statutory instrument containing regulations made by virtue of this section shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Provisions applying to all magistrates' courts committees.”

(3) Schedule 12 (which makes provision supplementary to this section) shall have effect.