If in a parish there is no suitable public room vested in the parish council or the parish trustees, as the case may be, which can be used free of charge, a suitable room in premises of a school maintained by the local authority . . . or a suitable room the expenditure of maintaining which is payable out of any rate may, subject to subsection (3) below, be used free of charge at all reasonable times and after reasonable notice for any of the following purposes, that is to say, for the purpose of—
If in a community there is no suitable public room vested in the community council which can be used free of charge or there is no community council, a suitable room in premises of a school maintained by the local authority . . . or a suitable room the expenditure of maintaining which is payable out of any rate may, subject to subsection (3) below, be used free of charge at all reasonable times and after reasonable notice for any of the following purposes, that is to say, for the purpose of—
Nothing in this section shall authorise—
If, by reason of the use of a room for any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (1) or (2) above, any expense is incurred by persons having control of the room, or any damage is done to the room or the building of which it is part or to its appurtenances, or to the furniture of the room or any teaching aids, the expense or the cost of making good the damage shall be defrayed as an expense of the parish or community council or parish or community meeting.
If any question arises under this section as to what is reasonable or suitable, it may be determined by the Secretary of State.
In subsections (1) and (2) "local authority" has the meaning given by section 579(1) of the Education Act 1996.