HC Deb 25 July 1963 vol 681 cc1876-7

Lords Amendment: In page 77, line 13, at end insert: (3) The London borough council to whom any functions of any county council other than the Middlesex county council are transferred by virtue of subsection (1) of this section may agree with the county council for the performance of any of those functions by that county council on behalf of the borough council; and where by virtue of subsection (1) or (2) of this section the said sections 27 to 34 for the time being apply to any part of any London borough or the City, the borough council or Common Council, as the case may be, may agree with the Greater London Council for the functions of the borough council or Common Council under the said sections 27 to 34 to be discharged by the Greater London Council, and while such an agreement with the Greater London Council is in force—

  1. (a) references in Part IV of the said Act of 1949 to the surveying authority shall be construed accordingly;
  2. (b) section 28(1) of the said Act of 1949 shall have effect in relation to a survey carried out by the Greater London Council as if the reference therein to the councils of county districts and parishes were a reference to the borough council or Common Council, as the case may be.
(4) In section 23 of the said Act of 1949, the reference to the local planning authority shall be construed in relation to land in a London borough or the City as a reference to the borough council or, as the case may be, the Common Council. (5) The provisions of Part V of the said Act of 1949 with respect to access agreements and access orders and section 90 of that Act shall not apply to the inner London boroughs or the City, and in relation to land in an outer London borough references in sections 64 to 82 and 90 of that Act to the local planning authority shall be construed as references to the borough council. (6) In section 89 of the said Act of 1949 the expression 'local planning authority', and in section 99 of that Act the expression 'local authority' shall include the Greater London Council, a London borough council and the Common Council; and in section 102 of that Act—
  1. (a) expression 'local planning authority', shall include the council of an outer London borough; and
  2. (b) the expression 'local authority' shall include the Greater London Council."

Mr. Corfield

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

Clause 59(1) transfers to the outer London boroughs the duty of preparing a survey of rights of way already begun by the counties handing over. These rights stem from the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949.

The remainder of the Amendment is designed to ensure that the duties under that Act which are appropriate to county councils are carried forward, where they are appropriate, to the new reorganisation in London. They are somewhat varied. They apply to consultation with the Nature Conservancy. But I think that they are straightforward. If hon. Members wish any further information I will try to give it.

Question put and agreed to.