(1)The minutes of the proceedings of a council or any committee of a council shall be open to inspection by any local elector for the district of the council, and any such elector may make a copy of, or of any part of, the minutes.
(2)The accounts of a council shall be open to inspection by any member of the council, and any such member may make a copy of, or of any part of, the accounts.
F1(3)The statements of accounts of a council, and any report made by an auditor on the accounts, shall be open to inspection by any local elector for the district of the council,[F2 or by any person liable for rates payable in respect of any hereditament situated in the district which is used wholly or mainly for the purposes of a business whether or not carried on for profit, and any such elector or person] may make a copy of, or of any part of, the statements and report, or require, on payment of a reasonable sum for each copy, to be supplied with such a copy.
(4)A document directed by this section to be open to inspection shall be so open at all reasonable hours, and,F2. . . without payment.
(5)If a person having the custody of any document mentioned in this section—
(a)knowingly obstructs any person entitled to inspect the document or to make a copy of, or of any part of, the document in inspecting the document or making a copy; or
(b)refuses to supply copies to any person entitled to obtain copies;
he shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding[F3 level 2 on the standard scale].