PART 2GENERAL POWER OF COMPETENCE

CHAPTER 1THE GENERAL POWER

I126Limits on charging in exercise of general power

1

The general power confers power on a qualifying local authority to charge for providing a service to a person only if the following conditions are met.

2

The first condition is that the service is not one that any enactment requires the authority to provide to the person.

3

The second condition is that the person has agreed to the service being provided.

4

Except in relation to a service provided for a commercial purpose, to the extent that the general power confers a power on a qualifying local authority to charge for the provision of a service, the power is subject to a duty to secure that, taking one financial year with another, the income from charges imposed under it does not exceed the costs of provision.

5

The duty under subsection (4) applies separately in relation to each kind of service.

6

Subject to the duty under subsection (4), in exercising the power conferred by the general power to charge for providing a service, a qualifying local authority may set its charges as it considers appropriate, and may among other things—

a

charge only some persons for providing a service;

b

charge different persons, or different descriptions of persons, different amounts for the provision of a service.