# The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Tax Billing, Collection and Enforcement Functions) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2014, Note: Explanatory note


(This note is not part of the Order)
The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Tax Billing, Collection and Enforcement Functions) Order 1996 (“the 1996 Order”) makes provision to enable a billing authority in relation to council tax to authorise another person, or that person’s employees (a “contractor”), to exercise functions relating to the administration and enforcement of council tax. County councils and county borough councils are billing authorities in Wales and have the functions of a charging authority.
The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Tax Billing, Collection and Enforcement Functions) (Amendment) (Wales) Order 2013 amended the 1996 Order to enable billing authorities in Wales to authorise contractors to exercise additional functions relating to council tax. Those additional functions included giving notification of a decision about an application for a reduction of council tax; payment of a reduction; and collection of penalties under the Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Detection of Fraud and Enforcement) (Wales) Regulations 2013.
This Order amends the 1996 Order so that the additional functions relating to council tax in the 1996 Order extend to reductions under schemes made under the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2013 or which apply in default on 1 April 2014 in accordance with paragraph 6(1)(e) of Schedule 1B to the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
This Order also provides that the 1996 Order will continue to have effect in relation to functions exercisable by a billing authority under schemes made under the Council Tax Reduction Schemes and Prescribed Requirements (Wales) Regulations 2012 or which apply in default on 1 April 2013 in accordance with paragraph 6(1)(e) of Schedule 1B to the Local Government Finance Act 1992.
An impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2014/9780111110065/note (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/draft-local-authorities-contracting-out-of-tax-billing-collection-and-enforcement-functions-amendment-wales-order-2014/note
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.