These Regulations are made under sections 39 and 58(2) of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”) and amend the Accounts and Audit (Wales) Regulations 2014 (“the 2014 Regulations”).

The 2014 Regulations make provision with respect to the accounts and audit of local government bodies in Wales whose accounts are required to be audited in accordance with Part 2 of the 2004 Act. These Regulations amend the 2014 Regulations in three respects.

The 2014 Regulations require larger relevant bodies to publish certain notices in local newspapers. These Regulations remove that requirement and replace it with a requirement to display a notice in at least one conspicuous place in the area of the body.

Regulation 4 removes the requirement for county or county borough councils to include in their statement of accounts, the accounts for pension funds administered in accordance with the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013.

Under the 2014 Regulations, local government bodies are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 30 June following the year to which the statement relates and to publish it by 30 September following the year to which it relates. Regulations 5 and 8 change the timetable for local government bodies to prepare and publish their statement of accounts as follows.

In relation to the year ending on 31 March 2018 fire and rescue authorities, National Park authorities, police and crime commissioners and chief constables are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 30 June 2018 and to publish it by 30 September 2018. In relation to a year ending on or after 31 March 2019, such bodies are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 31 May following the year to which the statement relates and to publish it by 31 July following the year to which it relates.

In relation to the year ending on 31 March 2018 county or county borough councils and committees of county or county borough councils (including joint committees) are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 30 June 2018 and to publish it by 30 September 2018. In relation to the years ending on 31 March 2019 and 31 March 2020, such bodies are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 15 June following the year to which the statement relates and to publish it by 15 September following the year to which it relates.

In relation to years ending on or after 31 March 2021, county or county borough councils and committees of county or county borough councils (including joint committees) are required to prepare their statement of accounts by 31 May following the year to which the statement relates and to publish it by 31 July following the year to which it relates.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.