16.—(1) Except as otherwise provided in this regulation, the suspension or variation of a licence following a decision under regulation 15 has effect at the end of a period of seven working days beginning with the date on which notice of the decision is issued to the licence holder or, if that date is not a working day, the next working day.
(2) If it is necessary to protect the welfare of an animal, the local authority may specify in the notice of its decision that the suspension or variation has immediate effect.
(3) A decision to suspend or vary a licence must—
(a)be notified to the licence holder in writing,
(b)state the local authority’s grounds for suspension or variation,
(c)state when it comes into effect,
(d)specify measures that the local authority considers are necessary in order to remedy the grounds, and
(e)explain the right of the licence holder to make written representations in accordance with paragraph (4) and give details of the person to whom such representations may be made and the date by the end of which they must be received.
(4) The licence holder may make written representations which must be received by the local authority within seven working days beginning with the date of issue of notice of the decision under regulation 15 to suspend or vary the licence or, if that date is not a working day, the next working day.
(5) Except in relation to notices under paragraph (2), where a licence holder makes written representations which are received by the local authority within the period specified in paragraph (4), the suspension or variation is not to have effect unless the local authority, after considering the representations, suspends or varies the licence in accordance with paragraph (6)(a).
(6) Within seven working days beginning with the date of receipt of any representations made in accordance with paragraph (5), the local authority must, after considering the representations—
(a)suspend or vary the licence,
(b)cancel its decision under regulation 15 to suspend or vary the licence,
(c)confirm the suspension or variation of the licence under paragraph (2), or
(d)reinstate the licence if it has been suspended, or cancel its variation if it has been varied, under paragraph (2).
(7) The local authority must issue to the licence holder written notice of its decision under paragraph (6) and the reasons for it within seven working days beginning with the date of receipt of any representations made in accordance with paragraph (4) or, if that date is not a working day, beginning with the next working day.
(8) The local authority’s decision under paragraph (6) is to have effect on service of its notice under paragraph (7).
(9) Paragraph (10) applies if the local authority fails to comply with paragraph (6) or (7).
(10) Where this paragraph applies, after seven working days beginning with the date of receipt of any representations made in accordance with paragraph (4) or, if that date is not a working day, beginning with the next working day—
(a)a licence suspended under paragraph (2) is to be deemed to be reinstated;
(b)a licence varied under paragraph (2) is to be deemed to have effect as if it had not been so varied;
(c)a licence suspended under paragraph (6)(a) is to be deemed to be reinstated;
(d)a licence varied under paragraph (6)(a) is to be deemed to have effect as if it had not been so varied;
(e)any licence held by the licence holder other than a licence suspended or varied under paragraph (2) or (6)(a) which the local authority decided to suspend or vary under regulation 15 is to be deemed to remain in force and not to be so varied.
(11) Once a licence has been suspended for 28 days, the local authority must on the next working day—
(a)reinstate it without varying it,
(b)vary and reinstate it as varied, or
(c)revoke it.
(12) If the local authority fails to comply with paragraph (11), the licence is to be deemed to have been reinstated without variation with immediate effect.