Section 27 | Default powers as to registers.

(1)If it appears to the Secretary of State that a charging authority’s register does not contain items in relation to all community charges of the authority, the Secretary of State may direct the registration officer or the authority (or both) to supply the Secretary of State with such information as he considers necessary to enable him to decide whether his belief is well founded and what action (if any) he should take under subsection (3) below.

(2)A direction under subsection (1) above—

(a)must specify the information to be provided and the period within which it is to be provided;

(b)may be amended by another direction under subsection (1) above;

(c)may be revoked by a direction under this paragraph.

(3)If the period specified in a direction under subsection (1) above ends (whether or not the direction has been complied with) and it still appears to the Secretary of State as mentioned in that subsection, he may direct the officer or the authority (or both) to take such steps as the Secretary of State considers appropriate to secure that the register contains items in relation to as many of the authority’s community charges as practicable; and the steps may involve conducting canvasses or otherwise.

(4)A direction under subsection (3) above—

(a)must specify the steps to be taken and the period within which they are to be taken;

(b)may include a requirement to make a report or periodic reports to the Secretary of State as to what steps have been taken and the results of taking them;

(c)must, if a requirement is included under paragraph (b) above, specify the period within which any report is to be made;

(d)may be amended by another direction under subsection (3) above (but without the need for a further direction under subsection (1) above);

(e)may be revoked by a direction under this paragraph.