Weights and Measures Act 1985

Local administration

69 Local weights and measures authorities

(1) In England, the local weights and measures authority shall be—

(a) for each non-metropolitan county, metropolitan district and London borough, the council of that county, district or borough,

(b) for the City of London and the Inner and Middle Temples, the Common Council of the City of London, and

(c) for the Isles of Stilly, the Council of the Isles of Scilly.

(2) In Wales, the local weights and measures authority for each county shall be the county council.

(3) In Scotland, the local weights and measures authority for each region or islands area shall be the regional or islands council.

(4) The Secretary of State, after consultation with any local weights and measures authority appearing to him to be concerned, may by order provide that the area of any local weights and measures authority specified in the order shall, for the purposes of their functions as such an authority, be deemed to include such area consisting of inland waters or of territorial waters of the United Kingdom adjacent to any part of Great Britain as may be so specified, being an area which would otherwise not fall within the area of any local weights and measures authority.

(5) A local weights and measures authority may make, or assist in the making of, arrangements to provide advice to or for the benefit of consumers of goods and services within the area of the authority.

(6) Until 1st April 1986, subsection (1)(a) above shall have effect with the substitution for the words " non-metropolitan county, metropolitan district and London borough, the council of that county, district " of the words " county and London borough, the council of that county ".

70 Annual reports by local weights and measures authorities

(1) Each local weights and measures authority shall, in respect of each financial year of the authority, make to the Secretary of State by such date as he may direct a report on the operation during that year of the arrangements made to give effect in that authority's area—

(a) to the purposes of this Act, and

(b) to functions relating to weights and measures which are conferred on the authority otherwise than by or under this Act and which are specified, in a notice in writing given to the authority by the Secretary of State and not withdrawn, as functions to which this paragraph applies.

(2) Any report under subsection (1) above shall be in such form and contain such particulars of such matters as the Secretary of State may direct.

(3) Any report made to the Secretary of State under this section may be published by the local weights and measures authority by whom it is made.

(4) The Secretary of State may include the whole or any part of, or any information contained in, any such report, whether published or not, in any statement which may be made 01 published by the Secretary of State with respect to such arrangements as are mentioned in subsection (1) above either generally or in any particular area.

71 Inspection of local weights and measures arrangements

(1) The Secretary of State may from time to time cause an inspection to be made of, or of any part of, any such arrangements as are mentioned in section 70 above.

(2) Any such inspection shall be carried out by an officer of the Secretary of State authorised in that behalf by the Secretary of State.

(3) The officer—

(a) may examine any equipment or records kept in connection with those arrangements,

(b) may require any inspector having duties under those arrangements to give such assistance and information as the officer may reasonably specify, and

(c) may make reasonable enquiries of any person who appears to the officer likely to be able to give him information concerning the operation of those arrangements.

(4) The officer by whom any inspection under this section is made shall report its results in writing to the Secretary of State.

(5) The Secretary of State shall send a copy of the report to any local weights and measures authority concerned and to any chief inspector responsible for the operation of all or any of the arrangements inspected.

(6) The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, publish any such report in whole or in part.