Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.–(1) This Order may be cited as the Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme (Authorisation) Order 2008 and it shall come into force on 1^st January 2009.

(2) In this Order–

"the 1993 Act" means the National Lottery etc Act 1993;

"The Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme" means the joint scheme which is contained in the agreement entered into on 31^st October 2005 between the Big Lottery Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund(2); and

any reference to a joint scheme is to a joint scheme falling within section 25B of the 1993 Act(3).

Authorisation of the joint scheme

2.–(1) The Secretary of State hereby authorises the Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme as modified by the agreement entered into on 1^st December 2008 between the Big Lottery Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

(2) The Schedule to this Order (which, pursuant to paragraph 3 of Schedule 3A to the 1993 Act, contains a brief description of the nature, purposes and other particulars of the modified joint scheme) shall have effect.

Revocation

3. The Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme (Authorisation) Order (4) is hereby revoked.

Article 2(2)

SCHEDULE Particulars of the Parks for People Modified Joint Scheme

1. The nature and purposes of the modified joint scheme are to make grants for expenditure on, or connected with, the national heritage, health, education or the environment which increase community usage of local parks so that parks meet local, social, economic and environmental needs, actively involve local people and ensure that heritage is valued by the community.

2. The modified joint scheme applies to England only.

3. The maximum amount of money which may be distributed under section 25(1) of the 1993 Act in any year under the modified joint scheme is £50 million.

4. The bodies participating in the modified joint scheme are the Big Lottery Fund and the National Heritage Memorial Fund.

5. The money to be distributed under section 25(1) of the 1993 Act under the modified joint scheme is attributable to each of the participating bodies in the following proportions–

(a) as to the Big Lottery Fund, 57 per cent; and

(b) as to the National Heritage Memorial fund, 43 per cent.

6. The modified joint scheme will have effect for a period of 6 years and 3 months ending on 31^st March 2015.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order authorises a modification to the Parks for People (England) Joint Scheme to extend the duration of the scheme until 31^st March 2015 and to vary the proportions in which the money to be distributed under the scheme is attributable to the participating bodies. The scheme is contained in an agreement entered into on 31^st October 2005 between the Big Lottery Fund (formerly known as the New Opportunities Fund) and the National Heritage Memorial Fund (operating under the name of Heritage Lottery Fund). The New Opportunities Fund was dissolved on the 1^st December 2006 and was replaced by the Big Lottery Fund established under section 14 of the National Lottery Act 2006. Paragraph 3 of the Schedule to this Order also reduces the maximum amount of money which may be distributed under the scheme, in any year, from £99 million to £50 million. Further information about the scheme is available from Parks for People; 7 Holbein Place, London SW1W 8NR or from the Heritage Lottery Fund website: www.hlf.org.uk.