Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

Consideration of report or recommendation

5 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (4), this paragraph applies to a relevant authority if—

(a) a local auditor has made a public interest report relating to the authority or an entity connected with it, or

(b) a local auditor has made a recommendation relating to the authority or an entity connected with it.

(2) This paragraph does not apply to a relevant authority which is itself a connected entity, subject to sub-paragraph (3).

(3) This paragraph applies to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime where a local auditor has made a report or recommendation relating to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis regardless of whether the Office is a connected entity or was such an entity at the time to which the report or recommendation relates.

(4) This paragraph does not apply to—

(a) the Greater London Authority (but see paragraph 6), and

(b) health service bodies.

(5) The relevant authority must consider the report or recommendation at a meeting held before the end of the period of one month beginning with the day on which it was sent to the authority.

(6) At that meeting the relevant authority must decide—

(a) whether the report requires the authority to take any action or whether the recommendation is to be accepted, and

(b) what, if any, action to take in response to the report or recommendation.

(7) Where the relevant authority is a police and crime commissioner or the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, the authority must, before the end of the period of one month beginning with the day on which the report or recommendation was sent to the authority, decide—

(a) whether the report requires the authority to take any action or whether the recommendation is to be accepted, and

(b) what, if any, action to take in response to the report or recommendation.

(8) If the local auditor is satisfied that it is reasonable to allow more time for the relevant authority to comply with sub-paragraph (5) or (7), the auditor may extend or further extend the period of one month mentioned in that sub-paragraph.

(9) This paragraph does not affect any duties (so far as they relate to the subject-matter of a report or recommendation sent to a relevant authority) which are imposed by or under—

(a) this Act,

(b) sections 114 to 116 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 (functions and reports of finance officers),

(c) section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (functions of monitoring officers), or

(d) any other enactment.

(10) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide for this paragraph to apply with modifications in relation to a relevant authority specified, or of a description specified,  in the regulations.

(11) The Secretary of State may by regulations provide for any provisions of the following that do not otherwise apply to a meeting of a relevant authority under this paragraph to apply (with or without modifications) to such a meeting—

(a) the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960;

(b) Part 5A of the Local Government Act 1972 (access to meetings and documents);

(c) Schedule 12 to that Act (meetings and proceedings of local authorities).