Clause 21

by deleting the words “by the Minister in consultation with” in subsection (1) and substituting the words “by the Town Council with the approval of the Minister after the Minister has consulted”; and

by deleting subsections (11), (12) and (13) and substituting the following subsections:“(11) The following must be given by a Town Council to the Minister within 6 months after the close of the financial year to which the accounts and financial statements relate, or such longer period as the Minister may in any particular case allow:

a copy of the audited accounts and financial statements of the Town Council, signed by the chairman of and the secretary to the Town Council;

a copy of the report made by the auditor.(12) The Minister must, as soon as practicable, cause a copy of the audited accounts and financial statements and of the auditor’s report mentioned in subsection (11) to be presented to Parliament.(13) Where the Auditor‑General is not the auditor of a Town Council, a copy of the audited financial statements and any report made by the auditor must be forwarded to the Auditor‑General at the same time they are submitted to the Minister under subsection (11).(13A) Within 30 days after a copy of the audited accounts and financial statements of a Town Council, and a copy of the auditor’s report, mentioned in subsection (11) are presented to Parliament, the Town Council must —

display them for public inspection in such places within the Town as the Town Council may direct; and

publish them at an online location accessible to residents of the housing estates within the Town.(13B) A Town Council which, without reasonable excuse, is persistently in default in relation to the requirement imposed by subsection (11), shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000.”.