§ Mr. Snapeasked the Secretary of State for Transport what precepting arrangements will be adopted in the event of a district council seceding from a public transport joint board either in whole or in part proposed after abolition of the metropolitan county councils to ensure a proper distribution of the financial burden relating to any functions which remain to be provided on a county-wide basis.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe Local Government Bill provides for the amendment of section 12 of the General Rates Act 1967 to include the new joint authorities, and in general precepts levied by the authorities will be subject to the requirements of that section. The detailed precepting arrangements which would apply in the event of secession by a district council would depend on the circumstances of the individual case. But the objective would be to ensure that the precept to be issued to each district council by the public transport joint hoard resulted in an appropriate share of the joint board's liabilities being charged to the district's ratepayers, taking into account the provisions of any secession order.