The Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014

Accounts and audit

63.—(1) The Committee shall keep accounts of all financial transactions of the fund and any admission agreement fund it establishes.

(2) The Secretary of the Committee shall prepare the financial statements for the financial year ended the 31st March 2015 and subsequent financial years in accordance with paragraph (3) and shall forward three copies of the financial statements duly signed and dated by the Secretary of the Committee to the Department no later than the 30th June after the expiration of the financial year to which the financial statements relate.

(3) The financial statements shall comprise—

(a) a Foreword;

(b) a Statement of the Committee’s Responsibilities;

(c) an Accounting Officer’s Statement;

(d) a Fund Account;

(e) a Net Assets Statement; and

shall be prepared in accordance with guidance for the time being issued by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

(4) The financial statements shall give a true and fair view of the Fund Account for the financial year, and the Net Assets Statement as at the end of the financial year.

(5) The financial statements kept by the Committee shall be audited annually by the local government auditor who shall report on the financial statements audited and shall send that report, together with two audited copies of the financial statements duly signed and dated by the local government auditor, to the Department within fourteen days after completion of the audit.

(6) The Department on receipt of the local government auditor’s report and the audited copies of the financial statements shall send a copy of such report and financial statements to the Secretary of the Committee who shall—

(a) lay such copy of the report and financial statements before the next meeting of the Committee; and

(b) forward a copy of such report and financial statements to each employing authority.

(7) The local government auditor may require—

(a) the production before the local government auditor of all documents and financial records of the Committee which are thought necessary for the purpose of the audit;

(b) any person holding or accountable for any such documents or financial records to appear before the local government auditor at the audit or any adjournment thereof; and

(c) any such person to make and sign a declaration as to the correctness of the documents or financial records.

(8) The Committee shall annually, at such time as the Department may direct, make to it a report of its proceedings during the preceding year, and the Department shall lay a copy of such a report before the Northern Ireland Assembly.