OpenLegislation

Local Government Act 2003 in Scotland

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. Part 6: Council tax
  69. 74Exception of students from joint and several liability
  70. 77Statutory revaluation cycle
  71. 78Power to change number of valuation bands
  72. 79Transitional arrangements
  73. 80Amendments relating to distress
  74. 81Charging orders: aggregation
  75. 82Quashing of liability orders
  76. Other
  77. 83Major precepting authorities: combined fire authorities
  78. 89Housing Revenue Account subsidy: payment and calculation
  79. 90Housing Revenue Account subsidy: negative amounts
  80. 91Housing Revenue Accounts etc: adaptation of enactments
  81. 92Local housing authority houses: rents
  82. Part 8: Miscellaneous and general
  83. Chapter 1: Miscellaneous
  84. 98AProcedure for orders under section 97: Wales
  85. Contracting-out
  86. 101Staff transfer matters: general
  87. 102Staff transfer matters: pensions
  88. 2004 local government elections
  89. 103Power to change date of elections in England
  90. 104Power to change date of elections in Wales
  91. 106Transfer to Service of property, rights and liabilities
  92. Other
  93. 114Paid time off for councillors not to be political donation
  94. Chapter 2: General
  95. 123Orders and regulations
  96. 124General interpretation
  97. 127Minor and consequential amendments and repeals
  98. 128Commencement
  99. 129Short title and extent
  100. Introductory
  101. 1Paragraph 1
  102. Borrowing
  103. 2Paragraph 2
  104. 3Paragraph 3
  105. Loans
  106. 4Paragraph 4
  107. “Fixed period”
  108. 5Paragraph 5
  109. Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42)
  110. 1Paragraph 1
  111. 2Paragraph 2
  112. 3Paragraph 3
  113. Local Government Act 1999 (c. 27)
  114. 4Paragraph 4
  115. 5Paragraph 5
  116. 6Paragraph 6
  117. 7Paragraph 7
  118. 8Paragraph 8
  119. 9Paragraph 9
  120. 10Paragraph 10
  121. Local Government Act 2000 (c. 22)
  122. 11Paragraph 11
  123. 12Paragraph 12
  124. 13Paragraph 13
  125. 14Paragraph 14
  126. Membership, chairman and deputy chairman
  127. Disqualification
  128. Tenure of office
  129. 5Paragraph 5
  130. Remuneration, pensions, etc of members
  131. 6Paragraph 6
  132. Staff
  133. 7Paragraph 7
  134. 8Paragraph 8
  135. Committees
  136. 10Paragraph 10
  137. Proceedings
  138. 11Paragraph 11
  139. Delegation
  140. 12Paragraph 12
  141. Members' interests
  142. 13Paragraph 13
  143. 14Paragraph 14
  144. Vacancies and defective appointments
  145. 15Paragraph 15
  146. Minutes
  147. 16Paragraph 16
  148. Execution and proof of instruments
  149. 17Paragraph 17
  150. Money
  151. 18Paragraph 18
  152. 19Paragraph 19
  153. 20Paragraph 20
  154. The Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51)
  155. 21Paragraph 21
  156. The Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 (c. 13)
  157. 22Paragraph 22
  158. The House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975 (c. 24)
  159. 23Paragraph 23
  160. The Freedom of Information Act 2000 (c. 36)
  161. 24Paragraph 24
  162. The Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40)
  163. 25Paragraph 25
  164. Status
  165. 26Paragraph 26
  166. Interpretation
  167. Contents of transfer scheme
  168. 1Paragraph 1
  169. 2Paragraph 2
  170. 3Paragraph 3
  171. 4Paragraph 4
  172. Effect of transfers
  173. 5Paragraph 5
  174. 6Paragraph 6
  175. 7Paragraph 7
  176. Continuity of employment, etc of transferred employees
  177. 8Paragraph 8
  178. Modification of transfer scheme after appointed day
  179. 9Paragraph 9
  180. Provision of information to Secretary of State
  181. 10Paragraph 10
  182. Consultation
  183. 11Paragraph 11
  184. Stamp duty
  185. 12Paragraph 12
  186. Commencement not to affect existing application of section 15 of the 1982 Act
  187. 1Paragraph 1
  188. Commencement not to affect pending resolutions about the application of section 15 of the 1982 Act
  189. 2Paragraph 2
  190. Additional powers of commencement in relation to section 15 of the 1982 Act as amended
  191. 3Paragraph 3
  192. Effect of existing ear-piercing registrations following extension of control to cosmetic piercing
  193. 4Paragraph 4
  194. Interpretation
  195. 5Paragraph 5
  196. Schedule 7: Minor and consequential amendments
  197. 2Paragraph 2
  198. 3Paragraph 3
  199. 4Paragraph 4
  200. 6Paragraph 6
  201. Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50)
  202. 7Paragraph 7
  203. 8Paragraph 8
  204. 10Paragraph 10
  205. 11Paragraph 11
  206. 18Paragraph 18
  207. 19Paragraph 19
  208. 20Paragraph 20
  209. 21Paragraph 21
  210. 23Paragraph 23
  211. 25Paragraph 25
  212. 26Paragraph 26
  213. 27Paragraph 27
  214. 28Paragraph 28
  215. 29Paragraph 29
  216. 30Paragraph 30
  217. 31Paragraph 31
  218. 32Paragraph 32
  219. 33Paragraph 33
  220. 34Paragraph 34
  221. 35Paragraph 35
  222. 36Paragraph 36
  223. 37Paragraph 37
  224. 38Paragraph 38
  225. 39Paragraph 39
  226. 40Paragraph 40
  227. 41Paragraph 41
  228. 42Paragraph 42
  229. 43Paragraph 43
  230. 44Paragraph 44
  231. 45Paragraph 45
  232. 46Paragraph 46
  233. 47Paragraph 47
  234. 48Paragraph 48
  235. 53Paragraph 53
  236. 54Paragraph 54
  237. 55Paragraph 55
  238. 59Paragraph 59
  239. 60Paragraph 60
  240. 61Paragraph 61
  241. 62Paragraph 62
  242. 63Paragraph 63
  243. 64Paragraph 64
  244. 68Paragraph 68
  245. 69Paragraph 69
  246. 71Paragraph 71
  247. 72Paragraph 72
  248. 73Paragraph 73
  249. 74Paragraph 74
  250. 75Paragraph 75
  251. 76Paragraph 76
  252. 77Paragraph 77
  253. 78Paragraph 78
  254. 80Paragraph 80 Repealed
  255. 81Paragraph 81
  256. 1Repeals
  257. 2Revocations