Office of Public Sector Information

[F130 Voluntary organisations for disabled persons’ welfare

(1)A local authority may, [F2in accordance with arrangements made under section 29 of this Act], employ as their agent for the purposes of that section [F3any voluntary organisation for the time being registered in accordance with this Act being an organisation having for its sole or principal object or among its principal objects the promotion of the welfare of persons to whom the last foregoing section applies][F3any voluntary organisation or any person carrying on, professionally or by way of trade or business, activities which consist of or include the provision of services for any of the persons to whom section 29 above applies, being an organisation or person appearing to the authority to be capable of providing the service to which the arrangements apply].

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5]

[F130A Research

Without prejudice to any powers conferred on them by any other Act,—

(a)the Secretary of State may promote research into any matter relating to the functions of local authorities under this Part of this Act, and, in particular, may participate with or assist other persons in conducting such research; and

(b)a local authority may conduct or assist other persons in conducting research into any matter relating to the functions of local authorities under this Part of this Act.]

31. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

[F1 Financial adjustments between Local Authorities

32 Adjustments between authority providing accommodation, &c., and authority of area of residence

(1)Any expenditure which apart from this section would fall to be borne by a local authority—

(a)in the provision under this Part of this Act of accommodation for a person ordinarily resident in the area of another local authority, or

(b)in the provision under section twenty-nine of this Act of services for a person ordinarily so resident, or

(c)in providing under paragraph (a) of subsection (7) of section twenty-one of this Act for the conveyance of a person ordinarily resident as aforesaid,

shall be recoverable from the said other local authority.

(2)For the purposes of paragraph (a) of the last foregoing subsection it shall be assumed that the expenditure incurred by a local authority in providing accommodation for any person is, as respects accommodation provided in premises managed by a local authority, at the rate for the time being fixed for that accommodation under subsection (2) of section twenty-two of this Act, and, as respects accommodation provided pursuant to an arrangement made under section twenty-six of this Act, at the rate referred to in subsection (2) of that section.

(3)Any question arising under this Part of this Act as to the ordinary residence of a person shall be determined by the Minister.]

Local and Central Authorities

33 Local Authorities for purposes of Part III

(1)In this Part of this Act the expression “local authority” means [F1a council which is a local authority for the purposes of the M1Local Authority Social Services Act 1970] in England or Wales, and [F2a [F3council constituted under section 2 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994] in Scotland]:

F5(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

34. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F1

[F135 Central Authority for purposes of Part III

(1)For the purposes of this Part of this Act the expression “the Minister” means the Minister of Health as respects England and Wales, and the Secretary of State as respects Scotland.

[F2(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3, local authorities shall exercise their functions under this Part of this Act (including any discretion conferred on them thereunder). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4 in accordance with the provisions of any regulations of the Minister made for the purposes of this subsection.

(3)Without prejudice to the generality of the last foregoing subsection, regulations thereunder—

(a)may provide for conferring on officers of the Minister authorised under the regulations such powers of inspection as may be prescribed in relation to the exercise of functions under this Part of this Act by or by arrangement with or on behalf of local authorities;

(b)may prescribe requirements as to the provision to be made in rules for the conduct of, and preservation of order in, premises in which accommodation is provided under this Part of this Act by local authorities;

(c)may make provision with respect to the qualifications of officers employed by local authorities for the purposes of this Part of this Act or by voluntary organisations acting under arrangements with or on behalf of local authorities for those purposes.]]

[F136 Default powers of Minister

(1)Where the Minister is of opinion, whether on representations made to him or otherwise, that a local authority have failed to discharge any of their functions under this Part of this Act, or have in the discharge thereof failed to comply with any regulations relating thereto, he may after such inquiry as he may think fit make an order declaring the authority to be in default.

(2)An order under the last foregoing subsection shall direct the authority, for the purpose of remedying the default, to discharge such of their functions, in such manner and within such time or times, as may be specified in the order; and if the authority fail to comply with any direction given under this subsection within the time specified in the order, then without prejudice to any other means of enforcing the order the Minister may make an order transferring to himself such of the functions of the authority as he thinks fit.

(3)Any expenses certified by the Minister to have been incurred by him in discharging functions transferred to him under this section shall on demand be paid to him by the authority from which the functions were transferred.

(4)An authority shall have the like power of raising money required for paying expenses certified by the Minister as aforesaid as they have of raising money for paying expenses incurred directly by them, and the payment of any expenses certified as aforesaid shall, to such extent as may be sanctioned by the Minister, be a purpose for which the authority may borrow money in accordance with the statutory provisions relating to borrowing by that authority.

(5)An order under this section may contain such incidental or supplemental provisions as appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient, including provision for the transfer to the Minister of property and liabilities of the authority in default.

(6)Where any such order is varied or revoked by a subsequent order, the revoking order or a subsequent order may make provision for the re-transfer to the authority in default of any property or liabilities transferred from that authority to the Minister under the first-mentioned order and for the transfer to that authority of any property or liabilities acquired or incurred by the Minister in discharging any of the functions transferred to him.]