Section 157: Local authorities and legal proceedings

157. Local authorities and legal proceedings (1) Unless otherwise provided by any other enactment, a local authority may authorise an officer, either generally or in respect of any particular matter, to institute or defend on its behalf proceedings before the Intermediate Court or a District Court. (2) An authorised officer may prosecute any breach of the Building Act Building Control Act or regulations made under section 193 of the Public Health Act, where the breach is committed within the administrative area of the local authority. (3) Where the defendant in an action under this section is a councillor, officer, agent or officer of the local authority, that authority may, without prejudice to any other power, decide to pay out of the funds of the authority the whole or any part of any sums payable by the defendant in consequence of the action whether in respect of costs, charges, expenses, damages or otherwise.