Annual Accounts
8.—(1) A local authority must ensure that its Annual Accounts are prepared in accordance with these Regulations and, so far as compatible with these Regulations, in accordance with proper accounting practices.
(2) The Annual Accounts must include, in addition to the financial statements required by proper accounting practices, the following statements, which are to be prepared in accordance with proper accounting practices and recognised guidance—
(a)a management commentary;
(b)a statement of responsibilities;
(c)an annual governance statement;
(d)either—
(i)a remuneration report in the style set out in the Schedule to these Regulations, or
(ii)a statement that no remuneration report has been prepared because no persons have received remuneration that requires to be included in such a report.
(3) The Annual Accounts must also include such of the following statements and disclosures as are relevant to the functions of the local authority—
(a)a housing revenue account;
(b)a non-domestic rate account;
(c)a council tax account;
(d)any other statement relating to statutory funds which is required by any statutory provision.
(4) The remuneration report referred to in paragraph (2)(d)(i) must contain the information set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.
(5) The proper officer must ensure that—
(a)the statement of responsibilities required by paragraph (2)(b) accurately reflects the proper officer’s responsibilities; and
(b)the financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of the local authority and its group at the end of the financial year and the transactions of the local authority and its group for that year.
(6) Once the proper officer is satisfied as to the matters set out in paragraph (5), the proper officer must certify these matters by signing and dating the statement of responsibilities and the balance sheets contained within the Annual Accounts and then submit the Annual Accounts to the auditor.
(7) The Annual Accounts must be submitted to the auditor no later than 30th June immediately following the financial year to which the Annual Accounts relate.
(8) The local authority must publish a copy of the Annual Accounts submitted to the auditor, clearly identified as an unaudited version, on a website of the authority from the date they are submitted until the date on which the audited Annual Accounts are published in accordance with regulation 11.
(9) A local authority or a committee of that authority whose remit includes audit or governance functions must meet to consider the unaudited Annual Accounts as submitted to the auditor.
(10) The meeting referred to in paragraph (9) must be held no later than 31st August immediately following the financial year to which the Annual Accounts relate.