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Section 1 enacts that there shall continue to be two National Advisor}' Councils for
Physical Training and Recreation, the one for England and Wales and the other for Scotland,
consisting in each case of such persons as the Prime Minister may from time to time appoint,
whose principal duty it shall be to investigate, and advise the Government with regard to,
matters relating to the maintenance and improvement of the physical well-being of the people
by means of exercise and recreation. A National Council may appoint committees to assist
them in the discharge of their functions and may appoint as members of any such committee,
or authorise any such committee to co-opt as members thereof, persons who are not members of
the National Council.
Under section 2 it is provided that the National Council for England and Wales shall,
so soon as may be, make, and may from time to time vary, arrangements for the establishment
throughout their area of local committees consisting of persons representing local education
authorities for higher education, and other local authorities, and voluntary organizations promoting
objects which are objects of the Act, and other persons who have special knowledge and
experience of matters with which the local committees will be concerned. Any such arrangements
shall empower a local committee to delegate or refer matters arising out of their functions
to sub-committees, and to appoint as members of a sub-committee, or authorise a sub-committee
to co-opt as members thereof, members of local authorites and other persons who are
not members of the committee. The functions of a local committee are :—(a) to review the
existing facilities for physical training and recreation in the various localities within their
area, to direct public interest to the value of such training and recreation and to encourage the
promotion of local schemes for the provision of further and better facilities therefor; (b) to
examine and consider any proposals which may be put before them for the provision of such
facilities as aforesaid, and any application for financial assistance by way of a grant under the
Act which may be made to them; and (c) to transmit any such application with their recommendations
thereon to a "Grants Committee" to be appointed by the Prime Minister. A local
authority may, either free of charge or on such other terms as may be agreed, place at the
disposal of a local committee, or of a sub-committee of such committee, any officers or staff
belonging to or employed by the authority.
Section 3 provides that the Board of Education may, in accordance with recommendations
made by the grants committee and in accordance with arrangements approved by the
Treasury, make grants :—(a) towards the expenses of a local authority or local voluntary
organisations in providing (but not in maintaining except in cases of special hardship or
difficulty) whether as a part of wider activities or not, or in aiding the provision of, facilities
for physical training and recreation, including the provision and equipment of gymnasiums,
playing fields, swimming baths, bathing places, holiday camps and camping sites, and other
buildings and premises for physical training and recreation; (b) towards the expenses of a
local authority or local voluntary organisation in respect of the training and supply of teachers
and leaders; and \c) to the funds of any national voluntary organisation having such objects
as aforesaid, either in aid of its work as a whole, or in aid of any specified branch of its work.
Under section 4 (I) the powers of a local authority (which includes a metropolitan
borough council) are extended. They may acquire, lay out, provide with suitable buildings
and otherwise equip, and maintain lands, whether situate within or without their area, for the
purpose of gymnasiums, playing fields, holiday camps or camping sites, or for the purpose of
centres for the use of clubs, societies or organisations having athletic, social or educational
objects, and may manage those lands and buildings themselves, either with or without a
charge for the use thereof or admission thereto, or may let them, or any portion thereof, at a
nominal or other rent to any person, club, society or organisation for use for any of
the purposes aforesaid. The authority may also provide, and, where necessary, arrange for
the training of such wardens, teachers and leaders as they deem requisite for securing that
effective use is made of the facilities for exercise, recreation and social activities so provided,