Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014

7 Appointment of local auditor

(1) A relevant authority must appoint a local auditor to audit its accounts for a financial year not later than 31 December in the preceding financial year.

(2) A relevant authority may appoint a local auditor to audit its accounts for more than one financial year; and in such a case—

(a) subsection (1) does not apply in relation to the second or any subsequent year for which the appointment is made, but

(b) the authority must make a further appointment of a local auditor at least once every 5 years.

(3) Subsection (2)(b) does not prevent the relevant authority from re-appointing a local auditor.

(4) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend subsection (2)(b) so as to alter the period for the time being specified in it.

(5) A local auditor appointed under this section—

(a) must be eligible for appointment as a local auditor (see Part 4), and

(b) must not be prohibited from acting as a local auditor of the accounts of the relevant authority by virtue of section 1214 of the Companies Act 2006 (independence requirement) as it has effect by virtue of Schedule 5.

(6) Two or more local auditors may be appointed to audit the accounts of a relevant authority, and those auditors may be appointed—

(a) to act jointly in relation to some or all parts of the accounts;

(b) to act separately in relation to different parts of the accounts;

(c) to carry out different functions in relation to the audit.

(7) If, as a result of an appointment under subsection (6)(b) or (c), a function under this Act may be exercised by two or more local auditors—

(a) it may be exercised by both or all of them acting jointly or by such one or more of them as they may determine, and

(b) references (however expressed) to the local auditor by whom the function is or has been exercised are to the auditors by whom it is or has been exercised.

(8) Schedule 3 makes further provision about the appointment of local auditors; and this section is subject to that Schedule and provision made under it.