Subject to subsection (2) below, an authorised officer of a local authority may enter any premises in the authority's area if he has reason to suspect that an offence under section 16 above is being committed there.
The power conferred by this section may be exercised by an authorised officer of a local authority only if he has been granted a warrant by a justice of the peace.
A justice may grant a warrant under this section only if he is satisfied—
A warrant shall not be granted unless the justice is satisfied either that notice of the intention to apply for a warrant has been given to the occupier, or that the case is one of urgency, or that the giving of such notice would defeat the object of the entry.
A warrant shall continue in force—
whichever period is the shorter.
Where an authorised officer of a local authority exercises the power conferred by this section, he shall produce his authority if required to do so by the occupier of the premises.
Any person who without reasonable excuse refuses to permit an authorised officer of a local authority to exercise the power conferred by this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall for every such refusal be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.