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					<dc:identifier>http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/enacted</dc:identifier><dc:title>Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014</dc:title><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:publisher>King's Printer of Acts of Parliament</dc:publisher><dc:modified>2019-10-31</dc:modified>
					
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</ukm:DocumentClassification><ukm:Year Value="2014"/><ukm:Number Value="2"/><ukm:EnactmentDate Date="2014-01-30"/><ukm:UnappliedEffects><ukm:UnappliedEffect AffectedYear="2014" AffectedNumber="2" AffectingNumber="675" AffectingClass="UnitedKingdomStatutoryInstrument" AffectedClass="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct" TypeNotes="amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/841" AffectedURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2" AffectedProvisions="specified provision(s)" Modified="2024-06-12T15:51:07Z" AffectingEffectsExtent="E+W+S+N.I." Row="660" AffectedEffectsExtent="S+A+M+E+A+S+A+F+F+E+C+T+E+D" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/effect/key-2f300de1c778b6a151182190aa68dc17" AffectedExtent="E+W" Comments="Amendment already reflected in appended commentary in EXTOES for 2015 SI0841" AffectingYear="2016" RequiresApplied="true" EffectId="key-2f300de1c778b6a151182190aa68dc17" Type="amendment to earlier commencing S.I. 2015/841" AffectingProvisions="art. 2" AffectingURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2016/675"><ukm:AffectedTitle>Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014</ukm:AffectedTitle><ukm:AffectedProvisions>specified provision(s)</ukm:AffectedProvisions><ukm:AffectingTitle>The Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 (Commencement No. 8 and Commencement No. 7, Transitional Provisions and Savings (Amendment)) Order 2016</ukm:AffectingTitle><ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:Section Ref="article-2" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2016/675/article/2">art. 2</ukm:Section></ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:InForceDates><ukm:InForce Applied="false" Prospective="true" Qualification=""/></ukm:InForceDates></ukm:UnappliedEffect><ukm:UnappliedEffect Type="modified" Created="2026-03-17T12:51:36Z" AffectedURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2" AffectedProvisions="Act" AffectingClass="UnitedKingdomStatutoryInstrument" EffectId="key-7ab66fadd9d2418ae31d168eccdb224c" AffectedClass="UnitedKingdomPublicGeneralAct" AffectingTerritorialApplication="E" AffectingProvisions="art. 28(2)(a) 40(2)(a)" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/effect/uksi-2026-264-4i7x09t6-28" Row="28" AffectedYear="2014" AffectedNumber="2" AffectingNumber="264" AffectingEffectsExtent="E+W" AffectingURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/264" RequiresApplied="true" AffectingYear="2026"><ukm:AffectedTitle>Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014</ukm:AffectedTitle><ukm:AffectedProvisions>Act</ukm:AffectedProvisions><ukm:AffectingTitle>The Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026</ukm:AffectingTitle><ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:Section Ref="article-28-2-a" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/264/article/28/2/a">art. 28(2)(a)</ukm:Section> <ukm:Section Ref="article-40-2-a" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/264/article/40/2/a">40(2)(a)</ukm:Section></ukm:AffectingProvisions><ukm:CommencementAuthority><ukm:Section Ref="article-1-1" URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/uksi/2026/264/article/1/1">art. 1(1)</ukm:Section></ukm:CommencementAuthority><ukm:InForceDates><ukm:InForce Applied="false" Date="2026-03-10" Qualification="wholly in force"/></ukm:InForceDates></ukm:UnappliedEffect></ukm:UnappliedEffects></ukm:PrimaryMetadata>
					

                    
									<ukm:Notes><ukm:Note IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/notes" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/notes"/><ukm:Alternatives><ukm:Alternative URI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/pdfs/ukpgaen_20140002_en.pdf" Date="2014-02-04" Title="Explanatory Note" Size="657346"/></ukm:Alternatives>       
								</ukm:Notes> 
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				</ukm:Metadata><Primary><Body DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/body/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/body" NumberOfProvisions="53" NumberFormat="default"><Part DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/part/5/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/part/5" NumberOfProvisions="14" id="part-5"><Number>Part 5</Number><Title>Conduct of local audit</Title><Pblock DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/part/5/crossheading/public-inspection-etc-and-action-by-auditor/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/part/5/crossheading/public-inspection-etc-and-action-by-auditor" NumberOfProvisions="4" id="part-5-crossheading-public-inspection-etc-and-action-by-auditor"><Title>Public inspection etc and action by auditor</Title><P1group><Title>Right to make objections at audit</Title><P1 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27" id="section-27">
<Pnumber>27</Pnumber>
<P1para>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1" id="section-27-1">
<Pnumber>1</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>This section applies if, at an audit of accounts under this Act other than an audit of accounts of a health service body, a local government elector for an area to which the accounts relate makes an objection to the local auditor which meets the requirements in subsection <InternalLink id="i00075" Ref="section-27-2" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/enacted">(2)</InternalLink> and which—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/a" id="section-27-1-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>concerns a matter in respect of which the auditor could make a public interest report, or</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/b" id="section-27-1-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>concerns a matter in respect of which the auditor could apply for a declaration under section 28.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2" id="section-27-2">
<Pnumber>2</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The requirements are that—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/a" id="section-27-2-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the objection is made in writing, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/2/b" id="section-27-2-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>a copy of the objection is sent to the relevant authority whose accounts are being audited.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3" id="section-27-3">
<Pnumber>3</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The local auditor must decide—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3/a" id="section-27-3-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>whether to consider the objection, and</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/3/b" id="section-27-3-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>if the auditor does so, whether to take action within paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection <InternalLink id="i00076" Ref="section-27-1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/enacted">(1)</InternalLink> in response.</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4" id="section-27-4">
<Pnumber>4</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The local auditor may decide not to consider the objection if, in particular, the auditor thinks that—</Text>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/a/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/a" id="section-27-4-a">
<Pnumber>a</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the objection is frivolous or vexatious,</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/b/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/b" id="section-27-4-b">
<Pnumber>b</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the cost of the auditor considering the objection would be disproportionate to the sums to which the objection relates, or</Text>
</P3para>
</P3>
<P3 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c" id="section-27-4-c">
<Pnumber>c</Pnumber>
<P3para>
<Text>the objection repeats an objection already considered—</Text>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c/i/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c/i" id="section-27-4-c-i">
<Pnumber>i</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>under this section by a local auditor of the authority’s accounts, or</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
<P4 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c/ii/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/c/ii" id="section-27-4-c-ii">
<Pnumber>ii</Pnumber>
<P4para>
<Text>under section 16 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 by an auditor appointed under that Act in relation to those accounts.</Text>
</P4para>
</P4>
</P3para>
</P3>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/5/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/5" id="section-27-5">
<Pnumber>5</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>Subsection <InternalLink id="i00077" Ref="section-27-4" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/enacted">(4)</InternalLink><InternalLink id="i00078" Ref="section-27-4-b" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/b" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/4/b/enacted">(b)</InternalLink> does not entitle the local auditor to refuse to consider an objection which the auditor thinks might disclose serious concerns about how the relevant authority is managed or led.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/6/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/6" id="section-27-6">
<Pnumber>6</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>If the local auditor decides not to take action within paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection <InternalLink id="i00079" Ref="section-27-1" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1" DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/1/enacted">(1)</InternalLink>, the auditor may recommend that the relevant authority should instead take action in response to the objection.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
<P2 DocumentURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/7/enacted" IdURI="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/id/ukpga/2014/2/section/27/7" id="section-27-7">
<Pnumber>7</Pnumber>
<P2para>
<Text>The local auditor’s reasonable costs of exercising functions under this section are recoverable from the relevant authority.</Text>
</P2para>
</P2>
</P1para>
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