Licensing and Registration of Clubs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Accounts of registered clubs

12.—(1) Article 40 of the Registration of Clubs Order (accounts of registered clubs, etc.) is amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph (1)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (b) omit the word “prescribed”;

(b) in sub-paragraph (c) after “accounts” insert “within 3 months of the end of that club’s financial year,”;

(c) for sub-paragraphs (d) and (e) substitute—

“(d) cause, within 3 months of the end of that club’s financial year, those accounts to be audited by a person referred to in this Article as “the auditor” or examined by an independent examiner in such manner as may be prescribed, and

(e) on being required by the auditor or independent examiner, produce any record or voucher and any other information or explanation which appears to the auditor or independent examiner to relate to those accounts and which the auditor or independent examiner requires to inspect, and”;

(d) omit sub-paragraphs (f) and (j);

(e) in sub-paragraph (g), after “auditor’s” insert “or independent examiner’s”;

(f) after sub-paragraph (g) insert—

“(ga) on the demand of the district commander of the police district in which the premises are situated, send a summary of those accounts and the auditor’s or independent examiner’s report thereon to that district commander, free of charge, as soon as they become available, and”;

(g) in sub-paragraphs (h) and (i), after “auditor’s” insert “or independent examiner’s”.

(3) After paragraph (1) insert—

“(1A) Regulations under this paragraph may make provision for the—

(a) system of control referred to in paragraph (1)(b) to be in such form and manner as may be directed by the Department;

(b) selection of a person for appointment as an independent examiner to be in such manner as may be directed by the Department.”.

(4) After paragraph (2) insert—

“(2A) If regulations under paragraph (1A) are contravened—

(a) the registered club, and

(b) every official of the club at the time of the contravention;

shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.”.

(5) In paragraph (3) for “paragraph (1)” substitute “or by virtue of this Article”.