Civil Defence Act 1939

37 Power to require measures to be taken.

(1) The appropriate department may serve on any public utility undertakers a notice requiring them, within the time specified in the notice, to take such measures as may be specified in the notice, being measures with respect to any of the matters specified in the last preceding section with respect to which those undertakers have made, or are under an obligation to make, a report in pursuance of that section or could be required to make a report thereunder.

(2) If any undertakers fail to comply with the requirements of a notice served on them under this section, they shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds and, if the failure in respect of which they were so convicted continues after the conviction, they shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds for each day on which the failure so continues :

Provided that the court by which any undertakers are convicted of an offence may fix a reasonable period from the date of conviction for compliance by the undertakers with the requirements of the notice, and, where a court has fixed such a period, the said daily penalty shall not be recoverable in respect of any day before the expiration thereof.