Local Government and Housing Act 1989

47 Security for money borrowed etc

(1) All money borrowed by a local authority (whether before or after the coming into force of this section), together with any interest thereon, shall be charged indifferently on all the revenues of the authority.

(2) Subject to subsection (3) below, all securities created by a local authority shall rank equally without any priority.

(3) Subsection (2) above does not affect any priority existing at, or any right to priority conferred by a security created before, 1st June 1934.

(4) If at any time any principal or interest due in respect of any borrowing by a local authority remains unpaid for a period of two months after demand in writing, then, subject to subsection (5) below, the person entitled to the sum due may, without prejudice to any other remedy, apply to any court having jurisdiction in respect of a claim for that sum for the appointment of a receiver; and, if it thinks fit, the court may appoint a receiver on such terms and with such powers as the court thinks fit.

(5) No application may be made under subsection (4) above unless the sum due in respect of the borrowing concerned amounts to not less than £5,000 or such other amount as may from time to time be prescribed for the purposes of this subsection by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

(6) The court to whom an application is made under subsection (4) above may confer upon the receiver any such powers of collecting, receiving and recovering the revenues of the local authority and of issuing levies and precepts and setting, collecting and recovering community charges as are possessed by the local authority.

(7) Except as provided by subsection (1) above, a local authority may not mortgage or charge any of their property as security for money borrowed or otherwise owing by them; and any security purporting to be given in contravention of this subsection shall be unenforceable.