Local Government Act 1999

11 Inspectors' powers and duties

(1) An inspector has a right of access at all reasonable times—

(a) to any premises of the best value authority concerned, and

(b) to any document relating to the authority which appears to him to be necessary for the purposes of the inspection.

(2) An inspector—

(a) may require a person holding or accountable for any such document to give him such information and explanation as he thinks necessary, and

(b) may require that person to attend before him in person to give the information or explanation or to produce the document.

(3) A best value authority shall provide an inspector with every facility and all information which he may reasonably require for the purposes of the inspection.

(4) An inspector shall—

(a) give three clear days' notice of any requirement under this section, and

(b) must, if so required, produce documents identifying himself.

(5) A person who without reasonable excuse fails to comply with a requirement of an inspector under this section is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(6) Any expenses incurred by an inspector in connection with proceedings for an offence under subsection (5) alleged to have been committed in relation to an inspection of a best value authority are, so far as not recovered from any other source, recoverable from the authority.

(7) In this section “inspector” means an officer, servant or agent of the Audit Commission carrying out an inspection under section 10.