OpenLegislation

Local Government Act 2003 in Northern Ireland

2003 c. 26 · Enacted 18 September 2003 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 18 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 5 October 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 72(2)omittedLocal Government Finance (Wales) Act 2024 Sch. para. 15(2)
s. 33(1)(k)words substitutedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 2 para. 341
s. 23(1)(l)words substitutedPlanning (Consequential Provisions) (Wales) Act 2026 Sch. 2 para. 340
s. 95(7)words insertedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(4)(c)
s. 96(5)words substitutedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(5)
s. 24(2)insertedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(3)
s. 95(4)words repealedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(4)(a) Sch. 18 Pt. 16
s. 95(5)(6)substitutedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(4)(b)
s. 100(2)(a)words substitutedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(6)
s. 18(2)(a)word insertedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(2)(a)
s. 18(2)(b)substituted for s. 18(2)(b)(c)Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(2)(a)
s. 18(2A)insertedLocal Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(2)(b)
s. 24(1)s. 24 renumbered as s. 24(1)Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 Sch. 14 para. 5(3)
s. 89(4)repealedLocalism Act 2011 Sch. 25 Pt. 24
Sch. 7 para. 34-39repealedWelfare Reform Act 2012 Sch. 14 Pt. 1
s. 31functions made exercisable concurrently (with modifications)Cumbria Combined Authority 2026 art. 11
s. 31functions made exercisableCheshire and Warrington Combined Authority 2026 art. 12
s. 31functions made exercisable only by mayorHampshire and the Solent Combined County Authority 2026 reg. 11

An Act to make provision about finance, and other provision, in connection with local and certain other authorities; to provide for changing the dates of local elections in 2004; to amend the Audit Commission Act 1998; and for connected purposes.

[18th September 2003]

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act applied (with modifications) (10.5.2021) by The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Functions) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/112), arts. 1(4), 35(1)(2), Sch. 5 para. 13

C2

Act applied (with modifications) (21.3.2024) by The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (Election of Mayor and Transfer of Police and Crime Commissioner Functions) Order 2024 (S.I. 2024/414), arts. 1(2), 5, Sch. 1 para. 13

Contents

  1. Chapter 1: Capital finance etc
  2. Borrowing
  3. 1Power to borrow
  4. 3Duty to determine affordable borrowing limit
  5. 4Imposition of borrowing limits
  6. 5Temporary borrowing
  7. 6Protection of lenders
  8. Credit arrangements
  9. 7“Credit arrangements”
  10. 8Control of credit arrangements
  11. Capital receipts
  12. 9“Capital receipt”
  13. 10Non-money receipts
  14. Investment
  15. 12Power to invest
  16. Risk management: England
  17. 12ARisk-mitigation directions
  18. 12BRisk thresholds
  19. 12CRestriction of power to give risk-mitigation directions
  20. 12DDuty to cooperate with independent expert
  21. Miscellaneous
  22. 13Security for money borrowed etc
  23. 14Information
  24. Supplementary
  25. 15Guidance
  26. 16“Capital expenditure”
  27. 17External funds
  28. 18Local authority companies etc
  29. 19Application to parish and community councils
  30. 20Directions
  31. Chapter 3: General
  32. 29Budget monitoring: Greater London Authority
  33. 30Authorisation of agreements during the prohibition period
  34. Chapter 1: Expenditure grant
  35. 32Application to Greater London Authority
  36. 32APower to pay grant to joint committees of London councils
  37. 32APower of strategic authorities to pay grant
  38. 32BApplication to Mayoral development corporations outside London
  39. 37Emergency financial assistance to combined fire authorities
  40. BID arrangements
  41. 41Arrangements with respect to business improvement districts
  42. 42Joint arrangements
  43. 43Additional contributions and action
  44. 45BID levy
  45. 46Liability for BID levy
  46. Administration etc
  47. 48Administration of BID levy etc
  48. Procedure
  49. 49BID proposals
  50. 50Approval in ballot
  51. 51Power of veto
  52. 52Appeal against veto
  53. Miscellaneous
  54. 55Regulations about ballots
  55. 56Power to make further provision
  56. 57Crown application
  57. 58Wales
  58. 59Interpretation of Part 4
  59. 60Submission of proposed rating lists
  60. 65Transitional relief
  61. 66Rating of meters
  62. 67Exemptions for agricultural buildings
  63. 68Exemption for places of religious worship Not yet in force
  64. 69Removal of power to prescribe rateable values Not yet in force
  65. 71Adjustments for hardship relief
  66. 72Provision of information
  67. 73Interpretation of Part 5
  68. 74Exception of students from joint and several liability
  69. 77Statutory revaluation cycle
  70. 78Power to change number of valuation bands
  71. 79Transitional arrangements
  72. 80Amendments relating to distress
  73. 81Charging orders: aggregation
  74. 82Quashing of liability orders
  75. Other
  76. 89Housing Revenue Account subsidy: payment and calculation
  77. 90Housing Revenue Account subsidy: negative amounts
  78. 91Housing Revenue Accounts etc: adaptation of enactments
  79. 92Local housing authority houses: rents
  80. Part 8: Miscellaneous and general
  81. Chapter 1: Miscellaneous
  82. 98AProcedure for orders under section 97: Wales
  83. 2004 local government elections
  84. 103Power to change date of elections in England
  85. 104Power to change date of elections in Wales
  86. 106Transfer to Service of property, rights and liabilities
  87. Other
  88. 114Paid time off for councillors not to be political donation
  89. Chapter 2: General
  90. 123Orders and regulations
  91. 124General interpretation
  92. 127Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
  93. 128Commencement
  94. 129Short title and extent
  95. Introductory
  96. 1Paragraph 1
  97. Borrowing
  98. 2Paragraph 2
  99. 3Paragraph 3
  100. Loans
  101. 4Paragraph 4
  102. “Fixed period”
  103. 5Paragraph 5
  104. Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42)
  105. 1Paragraph 1
  106. 2Paragraph 2
  107. 3Paragraph 3
  108. Local Government Act 1999 (c. 27)
  109. 4Paragraph 4
  110. 5Paragraph 5
  111. 6Paragraph 6
  112. 7Paragraph 7
  113. 8Paragraph 8
  114. 9Paragraph 9
  115. 10Paragraph 10
  116. Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22)
  117. 11Paragraph 11
  118. 12Paragraph 12
  119. 13Paragraph 13
  120. 14Paragraph 14
  121. Membership, chairman and deputy chairman
  122. Disqualification
  123. Tenure of office
  124. 5Paragraph 5
  125. Remuneration, pensions, etc of members
  126. 6Paragraph 6
  127. Staff
  128. 7Paragraph 7
  129. 8Paragraph 8
  130. Committees
  131. 10Paragraph 10
  132. Proceedings
  133. 11Paragraph 11
  134. Delegation
  135. 12Paragraph 12
  136. Members' interests
  137. 13Paragraph 13
  138. 14Paragraph 14
  139. Vacancies and defective appointments
  140. 15Paragraph 15
  141. Minutes
  142. 16Paragraph 16
  143. Execution and proof of instruments
  144. 17Paragraph 17
  145. Money
  146. 18Paragraph 18
  147. 19Paragraph 19
  148. 20Paragraph 20
  149. The Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51)
  150. 21Paragraph 21
  151. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13)
  152. 22Paragraph 22
  153. The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)
  154. 23Paragraph 23
  155. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36)
  156. 24Paragraph 24
  157. The Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40)
  158. 25Paragraph 25
  159. Status
  160. 26Paragraph 26
  161. Interpretation
  162. Contents of transfer scheme
  163. 1Paragraph 1
  164. 2Paragraph 2
  165. 3Paragraph 3
  166. 4Paragraph 4
  167. Effect of transfers
  168. 5Paragraph 5
  169. 6Paragraph 6
  170. 7Paragraph 7
  171. Continuity of employment, etc of transferred employees
  172. 8Paragraph 8
  173. Modification of transfer scheme after appointed day
  174. 9Paragraph 9
  175. Provision of information to Secretary of State
  176. 10Paragraph 10
  177. Consultation
  178. 11Paragraph 11
  179. Stamp duty
  180. 12Paragraph 12
  181. Commencement not to affect existing application of section 15 of the 1982 Act
  182. 1Paragraph 1
  183. Commencement not to affect pending resolutions about the application of section 15 of the 1982 Act
  184. 2Paragraph 2
  185. Additional powers of commencement in relation to section 15 of the 1982 Act as amended
  186. 3Paragraph 3
  187. Effect of existing ear-piercing registrations following extension of control to cosmetic piercing
  188. 4Paragraph 4
  189. Interpretation
  190. 5Paragraph 5
  191. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments
  192. 2Paragraph 2
  193. 3Paragraph 3
  194. 4Paragraph 4
  195. 6Paragraph 6
  196. Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50)
  197. 7Paragraph 7
  198. 8Paragraph 8
  199. 10Paragraph 10
  200. 11Paragraph 11
  201. 18Paragraph 18
  202. 19Paragraph 19
  203. 20Paragraph 20
  204. 21Paragraph 21
  205. 23Paragraph 23
  206. 25Paragraph 25
  207. 26Paragraph 26
  208. 27Paragraph 27
  209. 28Paragraph 28
  210. 29Paragraph 29
  211. 30Paragraph 30
  212. 31Paragraph 31
  213. 32Paragraph 32
  214. 33Paragraph 33
  215. 34Paragraph 34
  216. 35Paragraph 35
  217. 36Paragraph 36
  218. 37Paragraph 37
  219. 38Paragraph 38
  220. 39Paragraph 39
  221. 40Paragraph 40
  222. 41Paragraph 41
  223. 42Paragraph 42
  224. 43Paragraph 43
  225. 44Paragraph 44
  226. 45Paragraph 45
  227. 46Paragraph 46
  228. 47Paragraph 47
  229. 48Paragraph 48
  230. 53Paragraph 53
  231. 54Paragraph 54
  232. 55Paragraph 55
  233. 59Paragraph 59
  234. 60Paragraph 60
  235. 61Paragraph 61
  236. 62Paragraph 62
  237. 63Paragraph 63
  238. 64Paragraph 64
  239. 68Paragraph 68
  240. 69Paragraph 69
  241. 71Paragraph 71
  242. 72Paragraph 72
  243. 73Paragraph 73
  244. 74Paragraph 74
  245. 75Paragraph 75
  246. 76Paragraph 76
  247. 77Paragraph 77
  248. 78Paragraph 78
  249. 80Paragraph 80 Repealed
  250. 81Paragraph 81
  251. 1Repeals
  252. 2Revocations