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(b) in relation to Scotland, means a regional, islands or district council;

(c) and in relation to Northern Ireland, means a district council.

Provisions applying to all contracts for programmes

Duration of contracts for programmes and prior consultation etc.

19.—(1) The Authority shall not—

(a) enter into any contract with a programme contractor for the provision of programmes for a period exceeding the relevant maximum period; or

(b) extend any contract with a programme contractor so that the period for which programmes are provided under the contract exceeds the relevant maximum period;

but, subject to subsection (5), nothing in this subsection precludes the Authority from entering into successive contracts with the same programme contractor.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) the relevant maximum period is—

(a) ten years in the case of a contract taking effect on or after 1st January 1980 for the provision of local sound broadcasts in a locality—

(i) in which such broadcasts have not previously been provided by a programme contractor, or

(ii) in which such broadcasts have previously been so provided, but only in so much of it as in the opinion of the Authority does not amount to a substantial part of it; and

(b) eight years in every other case.

(3) Before entering into any contract with a programme contractor for the provision of programmes in any area or locality, the Authority shall take such steps as appear to them appropriate (including if they think fit the holding of public meetings)—

(a) to ascertain the opinions of the public in that area or locality about the service proposed to be provided there by the Authority, and

(b) to encourage the making of comments and suggestions about that service by members of the public in that area or locality, and shall take into account those opinions and any such comments and suggestions received by them.

(4) Before entering into any contract with a programme contractor for the provision of programmes in any area or