Section 66 Power to pay grant to joint committees of London councilsI1

After section 32 of the Local Government Act 2003 insert—

“Power to pay grant to joint committees of London councils

32A

(1)

A Minister of the Crown may pay a grant to an eligible London joint committee towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred—

(a)

by the committee, or

(b)

by an eligible sub-committee of the committee.

(2)

The amount of a grant under this section and the manner of its payment are to be such as the person paying it may determine.

(3)

A grant under this section may be paid on such conditions as the person paying it may determine.

(4)

Conditions under subsection (3) may, in particular, include—

(a)

provision as to the use of the grant;

(b)

provision as to circumstances in which the whole or part of the grant must be repaid.

(5)

Where a Minister of the Crown wishes to pay a grant towards expenditure incurred or to be incurred by an eligible London joint committee or an eligible sub-committee, the Secretary of State may pay a grant under this section to one or more persons (other than the committee) to hold and use in respect of the expenditure by the committee or sub-committee.

(6)

The powers under this section are exercisable with the consent of the Treasury.

(7)

The Secretary of State may, by regulations—

(a)

make provision for determining the question of whether a committee, or sub-committee, is “eligible”, including provision about conditions that must be met for a committee or sub-committee to become or remain eligible;

(b)

make provision about the constitution, procedures, administration and oversight of London joint committees, or their sub-committees, that are eligible.

(8)

Regulations under subsection (7)(a) may (in particular) make provision about conditions that relate to—

(a)

the power under which, or way in which, the committee or sub-committee is established;

(b)

the functions or purpose of the committee or sub-committee;

(c)

the kinds of persons who are members of the committee or sub-committee;

(d)

the constitution, procedures, administration or oversight of the committee or sub-committee.

(9)

Regulations under subsection (7) may amend any Act passed before, or in the same session as, the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026.

(10)

No regulations under subsection (7) may be made unless a draft of the statutory instrument containing the regulations (whether containing them alone or with other provisions) has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament.

(11)

In this section—

• “eligible” has the meaning determined in accordance with regulations under subsection (7)(a);

• “London joint committee” means a joint committee established under section 101(5) of the Local Government Act 1972 by—

  1. (a)

     all the London borough councils, and

  2. (b)

     the Common Council of the City of London.”