Commentary Part 8: London Chapter 1: Housing and Regeneration Functions Section 186: Removal of limitations on Greater London Authority’s general power
407.Section 30 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 empowers the Greater London Authority to do anything which supports its three principal purposes of promoting economic development and wealth creation, promoting social development and improving the environment in Greater London. In the exercise of this general power of competence, the Greater London Authority may carry on activities in the field of economic development and regeneration, which the London Development Agency and Homes and Communities Agency might otherwise have undertaken.
408.The Greater London Authority’s general power of competence is limited by section 31 of the Greater London Authority Act. Section 186 removes the prohibition against housing expenditure in section 31 and provides that the prohibition against expenditure on education services does not apply to expenditure on sponsoring or facilitating the sponsorship of academies.