Explanatory note

Article 2 of this Order allows the Secretary of State, in England only, to use electronic communications to notify a local housing authority of his final decision, under section 80A of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, as to the amount of Housing Revenue Account subsidy payable to that authority for the year, or to publish the decision on a web site and notify the authority that he has done so, where the decision may be found and how it may be accessed, if he has so agreed with the authority.

Article 3 of this Order amends section 87 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, in England only, to allow the Secretary of State to use electronic communications to send to a local housing authority a copy of any determination made under Part VI of that Act (a determination of the amount of Housing Revenue Account subsidy payable under section 80 of that Act, or a determination of a formula in accordance with which credits and debits should be calculated under Item 8 of Part I and Item 8 of Part II of Schedule 4 to that Act). It also allows the Secretary of State to discharge his obligation to send a copy of a determination to an authority by publishing the determination on a web site and notifying the authority that it may be found there, and how it may be accessed there, if he has so agreed with the authority.

An authority which is no longer willing to accept electronic communication of a determination or decision may give notice of its withdrawal of notification of its address to which electronic communications may be sent, and of its revocation of an agreement that it may be notified by consulting a web site. Such withdrawal or revocation shall take effect on a date specified by the authority which must be at least one month from the date on which notification of the withdrawal or revocation is given by the authority.

Article 4 of this Order amends section 88 of the 1989 Act by inserting definitions of electronic communication and address for the purposes of electronic communications.