(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations prescribe (as required by section 29(1) of the Commons Act 2006 (c. 26)) a standard constitution for commons councils established by orders under section 26(1) of that Act (regulation 2 and the Schedule).
The standard constitution applies to any such commons council, save to the extent that the order establishing it provides otherwise or makes any provision which is inconsistent with the standard constitution (see section 29(2) and (5) of the Commons Act 2006).
The standard constitution contains terms governing: a council’s membership and proceedings; its procedure in respect of requiring the payment of fees; its use of its income and property; the requirement to keep accounts and, where the council’s gross income exceeds £10,000 in any financial year, to have those accounts independently examined; and the manner in which the council may execute documents.
A full impact assessment of the effect this instrument will have on the costs of business and the voluntary sector is available at www.defra.gov.uk and is annexed to the Explanatory Memorandum which is available alongside the instrument on the OPSI website.