b'This is a wide power, however, arguably, it is not as wide as the general power of competence given to local authorities. It does not enable fire authorities to do all things that individuals generally may do. It restricts what fire authorities may do to that which is incidental to or connected with its functional purposes. A fire authority may do for a commercial purpose anything which it may do as stated above otherwise than for a commercial purpose. However, it may not do for a commercial purpose anything in relation to a person that it is required to do for that person by statute. In addition to this, section 18A of the 2004 Act allows for a fire and rescue authority to charge a person for any action taken in the UK or at sea or under the sea; and otherwise than for a commercial purpose. There is a requirement under sub-section (3) to consult any persons the authority considers appropriate before it begins to charge and the charges must only be at a cost-recovery basis. Sections 18B and 18C set out limitation and caveats.118'