Commentary on Sections Part 2 — Monuments of special historic interest Chapter 7 — General Section 66 — Powers of entry relating to enforcement of controls on works
217.Section 66 gives Welsh Ministers the power to authorise a person in writing to enter land for purposes relating to temporary stop notices and enforcement notices.
218.Subsection (1) relates to powers of entry to determine whether a temporary stop notice should be issued, to display or attach a copy of a temporary stop notice, or assess whether a notice has been complied with.
219.Subsection (2) relates to powers of entry to determine if an enforcement notice should be issued, to attach a copy of an enforcement notice or to assess whether an enforcement notice has been complied with.
220.These powers of entry are subject to the supplementary provisions in section 69 (which include that they may be exercised at any reasonable time). In the case of an enforcement notice and where the land is occupied, section 69(2)(b) provides that for the purposes specified in section 66(2) notice must be given at least 24 hours before the day of the intended entry. No such notice is required when powers of entry are exercised in relation to a temporary stop notice (section 69(3)(b)). This will allow timely action to assess the condition of a monument and, if necessary, intervention to halt further damage.
221.An authorised person might be a Welsh Government staff member, such as a Cadw inspector or field monument warden, or an archaeological or conservation specialist working under contract to the Welsh Government or working for one of the regional Welsh archaeological trusts. On occasion, the person might need to be accompanied by the police, depending on circumstances.