Commentary on Sections Part 2: General Power Of Competence Chapter 1: The General Power Section 26 – Limits on charging in exercise of general power
172.This section restricts the ability of a qualifying local authority to charge for providing a service to a person using the general power. It provides that where a qualifying local authority is using the general power to provide a service, it may only charge for that service if:
	that service is discretionary, i.e. not a service the authority is under a statutory duty to provide; and
	the recipient has agreed to the provision of the service.
173.Subsection (4) prevents a qualifying local authority from making a profit in any financial year when using the general power to charge for a service, unless the service is provided for a commercial purpose. However, subject to that limitation of not making a profit, subsection (6) enables a qualifying local authority to set charges as it sees fit, including only charging some people for the service or charging different people, or groups of people, different amounts.
174.Section 93 of the Local Government Act 2003 deals with the powers of qualifying local authorities (and other bodies) to charge for things done other than in the exercise of the general power.