Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 enables a local authority to incur expenditure for certain purposes not otherwise authorised provided that such expenditure does not exceed the amount produced by multiplying a specified sum by the relevant population of the authority’s area. In the case of a principal council in Wales, the sum is £3.80 or such other sum as may by order be specified. In the case of a community council, the sum is £3.50 or such other sum as may by order be specified.

Section 137A of the 1972 Act requires a local authority, which in any financial year provides financial assistance to a voluntary organisation or to a body or fund of a specified kind and the total amount of that assistance equals or exceeds £2000 or such higher sum as may by order be specified (“the relevant minimum”), to require the organisation, body or fund, as a condition of the assistance, to inform the authority of the use to which it has been put.

This Order increases to £5.00 the sum specified for the purposes of section 137(4)(a) of the 1972 Act for principal councils and community councils in Wales and to £5000 the relevant minimum for the purposes of section 137A(1) of that Act for local authorities in Wales.