1. This Order may be cited as the Charities (The Bridge House Estates) Order 1995 and shall come into force on the fourteenth day after the day on which it is made.

2. The Scheme set out in the Appendix to this Order shall have effect.

APPENDIXSCHEME FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHARITY KNOWN AS THE BRIDGE HOUSE ESTATES

Whereas the Charity known as the Bridge House Estates is now regulated by:

(1) a Royal Charter of the year 1282;

(2) the Blackfriars Bridge Act 1863(3);

(3) the Blackfriars and Southwark Bridges Act 1867(4);

(4) the Corporation of London (Tower Bridge) Act 1885(5);

(5) the Corporation of London (Bridges) Act 1911(6);

(6) a supplemental Royal Charter of the 26th November 1957; and

(7) the London Bridge Act 1967(7);

And whereas the body corporate called the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London is the Trustee of the Charity and has on behalf of the Charity made application to the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales for a Scheme for the administration thereof;

And whereas it apears to the Commissioners that a Scheme should be established for the administration of the Charity but also that it is necessary for the Scheme to alter the provision made by the said Acts of 1863, 1867, 1885, 1911, and 1967;

And whereas in pursuance of section 20 of the Charities Act 1993 public notice of the Commissioners' proposals for the Scheme has been given and the Commissioners have considered all the representations made to them;

Now, therefore, the Charity Commissioners for England and Wales, in pursuance of section 17(1) of the Charities Act 1993, hereby settle the following Scheme:

SCHEME

1. Administration of Charity. The Charity known as the Bridge House Estates and the property thereof shall be administered and managed upon the subsisting trusts thereof as varied or affected by the provisions of this Scheme by the body corporate called the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London (in this Scheme referred to as "the Trustee").

2. Application of income. If and insofar as the income of the Charity cannot usefully be applied in any year in accordance with the subsisting trusts the Trustee may apply the same in one or both of the following ways:-

(a)in or towards the provision of transport and access to it for elderly or disabled people in the Greater London area;

(b)for other charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of Greater London in such ways as the Trustee thinks fit:

Provided that no payment shall be made which directly relieves the said body corporate (in its capacity otherwise than as Trustee of the Charity) or any other body corporate or person or any government department of expenditure which they are under a statutory or other legally enforceable duty to incur:

And provided further that in any year when there shall be income applicable as provided in this clause the Trustee shall settle a policy for the application of such income and in doing so shall consult such persons or bodies corporate or government departments as the Commissioners may direct by order after consulting the Trustee.

3. Accounts. Statements of account in relation to the Charity shall be prepared and transmitted to the Commissioners in accordance with the provisions of the Charities Act 1960(8) or any statutory provision replacing the same, except if and in so far as the Charity is excepted by order or regulations.

4. Questions under Scheme. Any question as to the construction of this Scheme or as to the regularity or the validity of any acts done or about to be done under this Scheme may be referred to the Commissioners for their opinion or advice in accordance with the provisions of section 29 of the Charities Act 1993.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order gives effect to a Scheme of the Charity Commissioners relating to the charity known as the Bridge House Estates. The charity was founded for the maintenance of London Bridge and was subsequently further endowed so that the Estates are now held in trust for the maintenance and support of London, Blackfriars, Southwark and Tower Bridges.

The charity is regulated by Royal Charters of 1282 and 1957 and by Acts of Parliament dated 1863, 1867, 1885, 1911 and 1967.

The Scheme alters the provision made by those Acts of Parliament by permitting the application of available income of the charity in the provision of transport for elderly and disabled people in Greater London and for other charitable purposes for the general benefit of the inhabitants of Greater London.