http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2009/20/section/49Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009An Act to make provision for the purposes of promoting public involvement in relation to local authorities and other public authorities; to make provision about bodies representing the interests of tenants; to make provision about local freedoms and honorary titles; to make provision about the procedures of local authorities, their powers relating to insurance and the audit of entities connected with them; to establish the Local Government Boundary Commission for England and to make provision relating to local government boundary and electoral change; to make provision about local and regional development; to amend the law relating to construction contracts; and for connected purposes.texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-07-24Expert Participation2026-07-15 Part 2Local authorities: governance and auditChapter 3Audit of entities connected with local authorities<Emphasis>Public interest reports</Emphasis>Consideration of report by local authority491Where a report is made under section 45 in relation to an entity, the local authority with which the entity is connected must—aconsider the report and the entity's decision or decisions under section 48(4) at a relevant meeting, andbdecide whether the report and the decision or decisions require the authority to take any action, and if so what.2A local authority must discharge its duty under subsection (1) before the end of the period of one month starting with the day on which the entity notifies the local authority under section 48(5).3The person who made the report may extend the period of one month mentioned in subsection (2) if satisfied that it is reasonable to do so to allow the local authority to comply with its duty under subsection (1).4A period may be extended under subsection (3) more than once.5In subsection (1)(a) “relevant meeting” means—ain the case of a local authority not operating executive arrangements, a meeting of the authority or of a committee of the authority;bin the case of a local authority operating executive arrangements—ia meeting of the executive, oriiif the function referred to in that subsection is a responsibility of the authority, a meeting of the authority or of a committee of the authority.6The notice given of the meeting to members of the authority or of the executive or committee of the authority (as the case may be) must include—aa copy of the report, andba copy of the notification given by the entity under section 48(5).7Subsections (8) and (9) apply in relation to a meeting of a local authority or of a committee of a local authority under this section.8The following powers do not include power to exclude the report—athe power under section 1(4)(b) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (c. 67) to exclude items from the matter supplied under that section (supply of agenda etc to newspapers);bthe power under section 100BA(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) to—iexclude documents from the documents published under section 100BA(1) of that Act, oriiexclude items from the matter supplied under section 100BA(9) of that Act (public access to agenda and reports before meetings and supply of agenda etc to newspapers).9Part 5A of the Local Government Act 1972 has effect in relation to the report as if section 100C(1B)(d) of that Act (public access to copies of reports for six years after meeting) were not limited to so much of the report as relates to an item during which the meeting was open to the public.10In this section—a“executive” and “executive arrangements” have the same meanings as in Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22);breferences to a committee of a local authority include a sub-committee.11This section does not affect any duties (so far as they relate to the subject-matter of a report under section 45) imposed by or under any other enactment.Words in s. 49(9) substituted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/356), regs. 1(2), 3(b) (with regs. 10, 11)Words in s. 49(8)(b)(ii) substituted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/356), regs. 1(2), 3(a)(iii) (with regs. 10, 11)Words in s. 49(8)(b)(i) substituted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/356), regs. 1(2), 3(a)(ii) (with regs. 10, 11)Words in s. 49(8)(b) substituted (coming into force in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments and Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2021 (S.I. 2021/356), regs. 1(2), 3(a)(i) (with regs. 10, 11)