---
title: "Local Government Act 1978"
id: 1c8bde4e-a29b-49be-9358-761e7beb1f6c
authority: uk
place: "United Kingdom"
applies_also_from: []
kind: statute
in_force: true
publisher_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/39
attribution: "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
solon_url: https://solon.orangecat.ch/law/1c8bde4e-a29b-49be-9358-761e7beb1f6c
language: en
in_force_from: 2002-10-23
date_basis: publisher
status: consolidated
source_url: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1978/39/data.xml
read_on: 2026-11-08
sha256: 164068fdbe939ebb8d56986aafd106031f8b75dd59bbf750ba8177f4a4c53417
provisions: 3
---

# Local Government Act 1978

## Title and introductory text {#prelims}

Local Government Act 1978
1978 c.39
An Act to amend the Local Government Act 1974 with respect to investigations by Local Commissioners and the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975 with respect to investigations by the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland; and for purposes connected therewith.
[20th July 1978]

## 1 Power for authorities to incur expenditure to remedy injustices caused by maladministration. {#section-1}

At the end of section 31 of the Local Government Act 1974 and section 29 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1975 there shall be added the following subsection :—
(3) In any case where—
(a) a report is laid before an authority under subsection (1) above, and
(b) on consideration of the report, it appears to the authority that a payment should be made to, or some other benefit should be provided for, a person who has suffered injustice in consequence of maladministration referred to in the report,
the authority may incur such expenditure as appears to them to be appropriate in making such payment or providing such a benefit.

## 2 Short title and extent. {#section-2}

(1) This Act may be cited as the Local Government Act 1978.
(2) This Act does not extend to Northern Ireland.