Section 40: Issue of precepts by major precepting authorities., Local Government Finance Act 1992

For each financial year a major precepting authority shall issue a precept or precepts in accordance with this section.

A precept issued to a billing authority under this section must state—

the amount which, in relation to the year and each category of dwellings in the billing authority's area, has been calculated (or last calculated) by the precepting authority in accordance with —

in the case of a precepting authority in England, sections 42A, 42B and 45 to 47 below, or

in the case of a precepting authority in Wales, sections 43 to 47 below; and

the amount which has been calculated (or last calculated) by the precepting authority in accordance with section 48 below as the amount payable by the billing authority for the year.

Dwellings fall within different categories for the purposes of subsection (2) above according as different calculations have been made in relation to them in accordance with —

in the case of a precepting authority in England, sections 42A, 42B and 45 to 47 below, or

in the case of a precepting authority in Wales, sections 43 to 47 below.

A major precepting authority shall assume for the purposes of subsection (2) above that each of the valuation bands is shown in the billing authority's valuation list as applicable to one or more dwellings situated in its area or (as the case may be) each part of its area as respects which different calculations have been so made.

A precept under this section must be issued before 1st March in the financial year preceding that for which it is issued, but is not invalid merely because it is issued on or after that date.

No such precept may be issued by a precepting authority in England to a billing authority before the earlier of the following—

the earliest date on which, for the financial year for which the precept is issued, each of the periods prescribed for the purposes of item T in section 31B(1) above, item T in section 42B(1) below and item TP in section 45(3) below has expired;

the earliest date on which, for that year, each billing authority has notified its calculations for the purposes of those items to the precepting authority.

No such precept may be issued to a billing authority in Wales before the earlier of the following—

the earliest date on which, for the financial year for which the precept is issued, each of the periods prescribed for the purposes of item T in section 33(1) above, item T in section 44(1) below and item TP in section 45(3) below has expired;

the earliest date on which, for that year, each billing authority has notified its calculations for the purposes of those items to the precepting authority.

No such precept may be issued unless the precepting authority has made in relation to the year the calculations required by this Chapter.

A purported issue of such a precept, if done in contravention of subsection (5A), (6) or (7) above, shall be treated as not having occurred.

Where the precepting authority is the Greater London Authority, this section shall have effect with the following modifications—

in subsection (2)(a)(i), for the reference to sections 42A, 42B and 45 to 47 below there shall be substituted a reference to the appropriate Greater London provisions;

in subsection (3)(a), for the reference to sections 42A, 42B and 45 to 47 below there shall be substituted a reference to the appropriate Greater London provisions;

in subsection (5A), for the reference to item T in section 42B(1) below there shall be substituted a reference to item T in section 88(2) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999; and

also in subsection (5A), for the reference to item TP in section 45(3) below there shall be substituted a reference to item TP2 in section 89(4) of that Act.

In this section, "the appropriate Greater London provisions" means—

sections 85 to 90 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 and section 47 below; or

in the case of calculations by way of substitute, sections 85, 86 and 88 to 90 of, and Schedule 7 to, that Act and section 47 below.

Where the precepting authority is a mayoral combined authority—

a precept may be issued under this section only in relation to expenditure incurred by the mayor for the authority's area in, or in connection with, the exercise of mayoral functions (as defined by section 107G(7) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009), and

the issuing and calculation of a precept under this Chapter is subject to any provision made in an order under that section.

Where the precepting authority is a mayoral CCA—

a precept may be issued under this section only in relation to expenditure incurred by the mayor for the authority's area in, or in connection with, the exercise of mayoral functions (as defined by section 41(8) of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023), and

the issuing and calculation of a precept under this Chapter is subject to any provision made in regulations under that section.

Section 40: Issue of precepts by major precepting authorities.

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