{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-act-1972/section-223",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-act-1972/section-223.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1972/70",
  "legislation_title": "Local Government Act 1972",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-government-act-1972",
  "path": "section/223",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "223",
  "heading": "Appearance of local authorities in legal proceedings.",
  "text": "(1) Any member or officer of a local authority who is authorised by that authority to prosecute or defend on their behalf, or to appear on their behalf in, proceedings before a magistrates’ court shall be entitled to prosecute or defend or to appear in any such proceedings, and, to conduct any such proceedings.\n(2) In this section “local authority” includes the Common Council , a corporate joint committee , a joint authority, an economic prosperity board, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a fire and rescue authority created by an order under section 4A of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, ... the Greater London Authority and , a police and crime commissioner and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime ... ...",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(1) substituted (1.1.2010) by Legal Services Act 2007 (c. 29), ss. 208, 211, Sch. 21 para. 28 (with ss. 29, 192, 193); S.I. 2009/3250, art. 2(h) (with art. 9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (25.3.2022) by The Corporate Joint Committees (General) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/372), regs. 1(2), 21"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words inserted by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 84, Sch. 14 para. 21"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (17.12.2009) by Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20), ss. 119, 148(6), Sch. 6 para. 24; S.I. 2009/3318, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (26.12.2023) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(2)(c), Sch. 4 para. 37 (with s. 247)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 1 para. 27; S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 38"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) omitted (26.5.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(7), Sch. 13 para. 6(7)(k); S.I. 2015/994, art. 6(g)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (20.11.2001) by S.I. 2001/3719, art. 2, Sch. para. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Word in s. 223(2) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(1), Sch. 22 para. 17(a) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) inserted (1.10.1994 for specified purposes otherwise 1.4.1995) by 1994 c. 29, s. 43, Sch. 4 para. 12; S.I. 1994/2025, art. 6 and S.I. 1994/3262, arts. 4, 5, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) substituted (16.1.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 109; S.I. 2011/3019, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with Sch. 2 para. 30)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words repealed by Education Reform Act 1988 (c. 40, SIF 41:1), ss. 231(7), 235(6), 237(2), Sch. 13 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 223(2) repealed (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 120(3), Sch. 24 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 223 amended by Local Government Act 1985 (c. 51, SIF 81:1), s. 57(7), Sch. 13 para. 12(f)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "S. 223 modified (7.8.1991) by S.I. 1991/1773, art. 8(2), Sch. 2S. 223: certain functions transferred (7.8.1991) by S.I. 1991/1773, art. 8, Sch. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C3",
      "text": "S. 223 modified (10.1.1992) by S.I. 1991/2913, art. 8(2), Sch. 2S. 223: certain functions transferred (10.1.1992) by S.I. 1991/2913, art. 8, Sch. 2S. 223 extended (5.7.1994) by 1994 c. 19, ss. 39(2), 66(2)(b), Sch. 13 para. 19(f) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2))S. 223 amended (3.1.1995) by 1994 c. 40, ss. 76, 82(2), Sch. 16 para. 3S. 223 modified (1.4.1995) by S.I. 1995/401, art. 18, Sch. para. 1(d)S. 223 extended (19.9.1995) by 1995 c. 25, ss. 65(7), 125(2), Sch. 8 para. 3(1)(g) (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117, Sch. 8 para. 7)S. 223 applied (18.7.1996) by S.I. 1996/1880, art. 76S. 223: power conferred to make provisions about matters of the kind dealt with in this section (1.9.1997) by 1997 c. 50, s. 44(1), Sch. 4(a)(xii); S.I. 1997/1930, art. 2(1)(2)(m)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C4",
      "text": "S. 223 modified (22.7.2004) by The Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1777), art. 29(1)(h)S. 223 modified (22.7.2004) by The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (Establishment of Conservation Board) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1778), art. 29(1)(h)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C5",
      "text": "S. 223 applied (4.2.2005) by The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of BID Levy Billing, Collection and Enforcement Functions) Order 2005 (S.I. 2005/215), art. 21"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C6",
      "text": "S. 223 modified (E.) (11.5.2007) by The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Anti-social Behaviour Order Functions) (England) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1441), art. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C7",
      "text": "S. 223 modified (E.) (6.4.2010) by The Portsmouth Port Health Authority Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1217), arts. 1(1), 4, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C8",
      "text": "Ss. 222-223 modified (E.) (6.4.2010) by The Cowes Port Health Authority Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1216), arts. 1(1), 4, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C9",
      "text": "Ss. 222-223 applied (with modifications) (E.) (24.3.2011) by The Hull and Goole Port Health Authority Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/939), arts. 1(1), 7, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C10",
      "text": "S. 223 applied (7.12.2011) by The Local Authorities (Contracting Out of Community Infrastructure Levy Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2918), arts. 1(1), 10"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C11",
      "text": "Ss. 222-223 applied (with modifications) (E.) (31.3.2017) by The Weymouth Port Health Authority Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/558), arts. 1(1), 8, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C12",
      "text": "S. 223 applied (15.3.2018) by City of London Corporation (Open Spaces) Act 2018 (c. i), s. 15 (with ss. 3, 4(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C13",
      "text": "S. 223(2) amended by S.I. 1985/1884, art. 10, Sch. 3 para. 1(m)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C14",
      "text": "S. 223(2) modified by S.I. 1987/2110, art. 2(2), Sch. 1 para. 3(m)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C15",
      "text": "S. 223(2) excluded (8.5.2017) by The Greater Manchester Combined Authority (Transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner Functions to the Mayor) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/470), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C16",
      "text": "S. 223(2) excluded (29.6.2026) by 2011 c. 13, Sch. 10A para. 42 (as inserted by English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 (c. 23), s. 108(5), Sch. 24 (with s. 102))"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C17",
      "text": "S. 223(2) modified (5.10.2026) by The Surrey (Structural Changes) (Pensions etc.) Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/1011), art. 1(2), Sch. para. 3(m) (with Sch. para. 10)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70/section/223",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:48:26.887741+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}