Explanatory note

These Regulations amend the Local Authorities (Capital Finance and Accounting) (England) Regulations 2003 (“the 2003 Regulations”) and apply in relation to local authorities in England only. They alter the ordinary accounting treatment of certain potential financial losses suffered by local authorities by allowing an affected local authority to record an offsetting credit in its accounts of up to the value of the potential loss. The effect of this is that whilst the authority’s accounts continue to fully show the loss that has potentially been incurred, the effects on the authority’s budget calculations are mitigated. This is a temporary arrangement: the offsetting credit must be fully reversed in the financial year beginning on 1st April 2010 if it has not already been reversed by then.

Regulation 4 of these Regulations makes an unconnected amendment to reflect a change in the title of the document formerly known as “Governance and Accountability in Local Councils in England and Wales: A Practitioners’ Guide 2003 Edition” (as amended from time to time), which is referred to in regulation 31(c) of the 2003 Regulations.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.