Local Government Finance Act 1988

29 (1) Section 20 of that Act (inspection of register) shall be amended as follows. S

(2) In paragraph (a) of subsection (2)—

(a) at the beginning of the paragraph there shall be inserted the words “ subject to section 20A of this Act and with effect from the prescribed date ”; and

(b) for sub-paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—

“(i) the addresses of premises in the registration area;

(ii) the name of any person appearing in an entry relating to such premises (but not so as to enable him to ascertain whether that person resides at the address of such premises); and

(iii) the collective community charge multiplier determined for the time being in relation to any premises (other than premises of such class or classes as may be prescribed) in respect of which a collective community charge is payable.

Provided that no new entry, or amendment of an entry which consists in whole or in part in a change of the address of the sole or main residence of a registered person, shall be available for inspection under this paragraph until after the end of a period of 28 days starting with the date of the notice relating to the entry under section 15(5) of this Act.”

(3) In paragraph (c) of that subsection at the end there shall be added the words “ other than any entry which is a special entry within the meaning of section 20A of this Act ”.

(4) After paragraph (c) of that subsection there shall be inserted the following paragraph—

“(d) any such other person as may be prescribed shall be entitled to inspect the register to such extent and for such purposes as may be prescribed.”

(5) After subsection (3) there shall be inserted the following subsections—

“(3A) Without prejudice to subsection (3) above, the register shall be available for inspection to the extent permitted by subsections (1) and (2) above in such circumstances, subject to such restrictions and in such other places in the registration area as may be prescribed.

(3B) In relation to as much of the register as is kept otherwise than in documentary form, a right of inspection conferred by this section is a right to inspect the information in the register in legible form.”

(6) For subsections (4) and (5) there shall be substituted the following subsections—

“(4) The Secretary of State may, by regulations, require the registration officer to make such extracts of the register as may be prescribed, containing the information which is available at the date on which the extract is made for inspection by members of the public under subsection (2)(a) above.

(5) Regulations made under subsection (4) above may prescribe—

(a) such date or dates in each financial year on which an extract is to be made;

(b) such requirements as to publication of the effect of such regulations as the Secretary of State thinks fit; and

(c) that the regional or islands council shall make the extract available for inspection by members of the public to such extent and at such times and places as may be prescribed.”