Explanatory note

The Regulations make minor amendments as respects England to the Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996 (“the 1996 Regulations”), which although made under the previous legislation, were continued in force by virtue of paragraph 2 of Schedule 4 to the Audit Commission Act 1998 (a consolidation measure).

Regulation 2 amends regulation 2 of the 1996 regulations so that they do not apply to local probation boards.

Regulation 3 amends regulation 6 of the 1996 Regulations to add the Greater London Authority, functional bodies, the London Pensions Authority and the Greater London Magistrates Courts Authority to the list of bodies required to prepare a statement of accounts.

Regulation 4 inserts a new regulation 6A into the 1996 regulations which specifies requirements for the summary statement of accounts to be prepared by the Greater London Authority.

Regulation 5 amends regulation 7 of the 1996 Regulations to increase the financial threshold above which parish councils are required to prepare income and expenditure accounts from £5000 to £50,000.

Regulation 6 inserts a new requirement into the 1996 regulations for relevant bodies to publish the annual audit letter they receive from their auditor.