A local authority may authorise a person to exercise on its behalf a function it has under—
The references in subsection (1)(a) to this Part do not include a reference to—
An authorisation under this section may authorise an employee of the authorised person to exercise the function to which the authorisation relates; and for that purpose, where the authorised person is a body corporate, "employee" includes a director or officer of the body.
An authorisation under this section may authorise the exercise of the function to which it relates—
An authorisation under this section—
Anything done or omitted to be done by or in relation to a person authorised under this section in, or in connection with, the exercise or purported exercise of the function to which the authorisation relates is to be treated for all purposes as done or omitted to be done by or in relation to the local authority.
But subsection (6) does not apply—
Schedule 15 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (which permits disclosure of information between local authorities and contractors where that is necessary for the exercise of the functions concerned, even if that would otherwise be unlawful) applies to an authorisation under this section as it applies to an authorisation by virtue of an order under section 70(2) of that Act.
The Secretary of State may by order—
The provision which may be made in an order under subsection (9) in reliance on section 125(8) (supplementary etc. provision in orders under this Act) includes, in particular, provision as to the rights and obligations of local authorities and persons authorised under this section in light of the provision made by the order.
"Function" includes a power to do anything that is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the exercise of a function.