In the leading case of Aston Cantlow and Wilmcote with Billesley Parochial Church Council v Wallbank, [2003] UKHL 37 the House of Lords gave some guidance on what constituted the scope of a core public authority. Lord Nicholls (para 7) suggested that the phrase 'public authority' in the HRA 1998, s 1 is 'essentially a reference to a body whose nature is governmental in a broad sense'. His Lordship further suggested that the following factors could be considered relevant in determining whether a body is a 'core' public authority:

(a) the possession of special powers;
(b) democratic accountability;
(c) public funding in whole or in part;
(d) an obligation to act only in the public interest;
(e) a statutory constitution