(1) In this section,
"the transitional period" means the period between--(a) the appointment of an administrator of a council and the time at which the administrator takes office, or(b) the declaration of a council to be non-functioning and the time at which the appointed or elected councillors for the area take office, if the declaration provides for their appointment or election instead of the appointment of an administrator.
(2) During the transitional period, the mayor, or the general manager if there is no mayor, may temporarily exercise the following functions of the council--(a) the continuation of works and services already commenced,(b) the payment of council employees,(c) the payment of accounts due,(d) the administration of the area without expenditure other than those payments and payments approved by the Minister.