The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006

Procedure for enforcement orders

32.—(1) Before making a final order or confirming a provisional order, an enforcement authority shall give notice—

(a) stating that it proposes to make or confirm the order and setting out its effect;

(b) setting out—

(i) the relevant condition or requirement for the purpose of securing compliance with which the order is to be made or confirmed;

(ii) the acts or omissions which, in the enforcement authority’s opinion, constitute or would constitute contraventions of that condition or requirement; and

(iii) the other facts which, in its opinion, justify the making or confirmation of the order; and

(c) specifying the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed order or proposed confirmation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(2) A notice under paragraph (1) shall be given—

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the enforcement authority considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice, and a copy of the proposed order or of the order proposed to be confirmed, on the company to which the order relates and on the other enforcement authority.

(3) An enforcement authority shall not make a final order with modifications, or confirm a provisional order with modifications, except—

(a) with the consent to the modifications of the company to which the order relates; or

(b) after complying with the requirements of paragraph (4).

(4) The requirements mentioned in paragraph (3) are that the enforcement authority shall—

(a) serve on the company to which the order relates such notice as appears to it to be requisite of its proposal to make or confirm the order with modifications;

(b) in that notice specify the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of the service of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed modifications may be made; and

(c) consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(5) As soon as practicable after making an enforcement order or confirming a provisional order, the enforcement authority shall—

(a) serve a copy of the order on the company to which the order relates and on the other enforcement authority; and

(b) publish such a copy in such manner as it considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing it to the attention of persons likely to be affected by it.

(6) Before revoking a final enforcement order or a provisional order which has been confirmed, the enforcement authority shall give notice—

(a) stating that it proposes to revoke the order and setting out its effect; and

(b) specifying the period (not being less than 28 days from the date of publication of the notice) within which representations or objections with respect to the proposed revocation may be made,

and shall consider any representations or objections which are duly made and not withdrawn.

(7) If, after giving a notice under paragraph (6), the enforcement authority decides not to revoke the order to which the notice relates, it shall give notice of that decision.

(8) A notice under paragraph (6) or (7) shall be given—

(a) by publishing the notice in such manner as the enforcement authority considers appropriate for the purpose of bringing the matters to which the notice relates to the attention of persons likely to be affected by them; and

(b) by serving a copy of the notice on the company to which the order relates and on the other enforcement authority.

(9) The requirements of the preceding provisions of the Article shall not apply, in the case of any order in respect of contravention of a direction under Article 294, to the extent that the Secretary of State directs that they should not be complied with in the interests of national security.