ABSTRACT
A local authority is a creature of statute. It follows from this that every action taken by a local authority must have some statutory foundation without which such action will be deemed to be ultra vires, that is, without authority and may be declared null and void. Likewise any action or decision taken by an officer of a local authority must be authorised by that local authority. Any such action or decision taken without authority may be declared null and void. An officer may be authorised in either one of four ways.
