Part II Central Supervision, Direction and Facilities
Central services
57 Common services.
1
The Secretary of State may provide and maintain, or may contribute to the provision or maintenance of, such organisations, facilities and services as he considers necessary or expedient for promoting the efficiency or effectiveness of the police.
F61A
The power conferred by subsection (1) includes power to give financial assistance to any person in connection with the provision or maintenance of such organisations, facilities and services as are mentioned in that subsection.
1B
Financial assistance under subsection (1)—
a
may, in particular, be given in the form of a grant, loan or guarantee or investment in a body corporate; and
b
may be given subject to terms and conditions determined by the Secretary of State;
but any financial assistance under that subsection other than a grant requires the consent of the Treasury.
1C
Terms and conditions imposed under subsection (1B)(b) may include terms and conditions as to repayment with or without interest.
1D
Any sums received by the Secretary of State by virtue of terms and conditions imposed under that subsection are to be paid into the Consolidated Fund.
2
Charges may be made for the use of facilities and services provided by the Secretary of State (or by organisations provided or maintained by him) under subsection (1).
3
The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for requiring F9one or more police forces to use specified facilities or services, or facilities or services of a specified description, (whether or not provided under subsection (1)) if he considers that it would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of the police for them to do so.
F13A
Regulations under this section relating to all police forces may also require the F7National Crime Agency to use the specified facilities or services, or the facilities or services of a specified description, if the Secretary of State considers that it would be in the interests of the efficiency or effectiveness of the F8Agency for the Agency to do so.
4
Before making regulations under this section, the Secretary of State shall consult—
F10a
such persons as appear to the Secretary of State to represent the views of police and crime commissioners,
aa
the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime,
ab
the Common Council,
b
F4the National Police Chiefs' Council; and
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F26
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