The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014
The Accounts and Audit (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020
Notice is hereby given under Amendment of the Accounts and Audit (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, the accounts will be available for inspection on or before the first working day of September 2020. This means the draft accounts must be approved by the 31st August 2020. The publication of the accounts will also be moved from 31 July to no later than 30 November. Due to the Coronavirus amended regulations, laid on 7th April 2020 by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and came into force on 30th April 2020.
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”) set out detailed requirements on a relevant authority (defined in section 2(1) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014), other than a health service body, in relation to its annual audit and accounting processes.
In anticipation of the potential disruption to relevant authorities caused by the spread of coronavirus, this instrument amends the 2015 Regulations to extend the deadlines for relevant authorities to publish and make available for public inspection, their annual accounts and supporting documents in relation to the financial year beginning on 1st April 2019.
Regulation 2(2) and (3) of this instrument amends regulations 10(1) and 13(1) of the 2015 Regulations. These amendments extend the deadline for relevant authorities to publish their statement of accounts and supporting documents (together with any certificate or opinion of the local auditor) in relation to the financial year beginning on 1st April 2019, to 30th November 2020.
Regulation 2(4) of this instrument amends regulation 15(1) of the 2015 Regulations. This amendment extends the deadline for relevant authorities to commence the period for the exercise of public rights, so that the relevant period must commence on or before the first working day of September in 2020 for 30 workings days, in relation to the financial year beginning on 1st April 2019.
A guide to your rights can be found at: https://www.nao.org.uk/code-audit-practice/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/03/Council-accounts-a-guide-to-your-rights.pdf
Date: 29 May 2020
Shaer Halewood
Director of Resources
Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
PO Box 290
Brighton Street
Wallasey
CH27 9FQ