{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom}} {{Use British English|date=August 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox UK legislation | short_title = Local Government Act 2003{{efn|Section 129(1).}} | type = Act | parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom | long_title = An Act to make provision about finance, and other provision, in connection with local and certain other authorities; to provide for changing the dates of local elections in 2004; to amend the Audit Commission Act 1998; and for connected purposes. | year = 2003 | citation = 2003 c. 26 |territorial_extent = {{ubli|England and Wales|Scotland (in part)|Northern Ireland (in part)|Gibraltar (in part)}}{{efn|Section 129(2)–(8).}} |royal_assent = 18 September 2003 |commencement = various{{efn|Section 128.}} |repeal_date = |amends = {{ubli|Local Government Act 1986}} |amendments = {{ubli|Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004|Government of Wales Act 2006|Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016|Policing and Crime Act 2017|Non-Domestic Rating Act 2023}} |related_legislation = Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 |repealing_legislation = |status = Amended |original_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/26/contents/enacted |revised_text = http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/26/contents |use_new_UK-LEG = yes }}
The '''Local Government Act 2003''' (c. 26) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
== Provisions == It made various changes to the administration of local government in the United Kingdom. Although it contained mainly financial provisions, section 122 repealed section 2A of the Local Government Act 1986, the enactment prohibiting local authorities from 'promoting' homosexuality, in England and Wales.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-01-17 |title=Duncan Smith defends stance on section 28 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/jan/16/immigrationpolicy.gayrights |access-date=2026-01-29 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
It also created the concept of "business improvement districts".
The act made community sports clubs eligible for 80% rate relief.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-09-16 |title=Yesterday in parliament |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/sep/16/houseofcommons |access-date=2026-01-29 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
== Legislative passage == During the passage of the act, the Conservative Party suggested that the government should implement a system of allowing parental ballots on sex education material.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-07-11 |title=Yesterday in parliament |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/jul/11/houseofcommons |access-date=2026-01-29 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
==See also== *The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, the actwhich repealed section 2A in Scotland.
== Notes == {{Notelist}}
== References == *"Local Government Act 2003". Halsbury's Statutes of England and Wales. Fourth Edition. LexisNexis. 2009 Reissue of volume 24 at page 183. 2009 Reissue of [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=bDZLAQAAIAAJ volume 26(2)] at page 281. *William Okoya and John McCafferty. "Local Government Act 2003". Current Law Statutes 2003. Sweet & Maxwell. London. W Green. Edinburgh. [https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=nDFLAQAAIAAJ Volume 2]. Chapter 26. p 26-1 et seq. {{Reflist}}
== External links == * {{UK-LEG}} * {{UK-LEG|asmade=yes}} *[http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/26/notes/contents Explanatory notes] to the Local Government Act 2003.
{{UK legislation}} {{Authority control}}
Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2003 Category:Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning England and Wales
Category:2003 in LGBTQ history
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