Section 30 Person acting as substitute clerk to justices.

The provisions of this section shall have effect where, in any petty sessions area F1. . ., a person who is not the justices’ clerk or one of the justices’ clerks appointed in that petty sessions area by the magistrates’ courts committee acts as clerk to the justices for that petty sessions area.

Subject to any rules made under F2section 144 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980and to subsection (3) below, the person so acting shall be treated as having acted as deputy to the justices’ clerk appointed by the magistrates’ courts committee in that petty sessions area, and shall make a return to the justices’ clerk so appointed of all matters done before the justices and of all matters that the clerk to the justices is required to register or record.

In relation to a petty sessions area in which there are two or more justices’ clerks appointed by the magistrates’ courts committee, any reference in subsection (2) above to the justices’ clerk so appointed shall be construed as a reference to such one of them as may be designated for the purpose by the committee.