Issue - meetings

To receive the final version of the Statement of Accounts for 2022/23.

The committee considered the Audit Completion report, presented by the council’s external auditors, Mazars, covering the period 2022-23. The report identified key issues considered by Mazars prior to issuing their opinion on the Council’s financial statements and its arrangements for securing economy efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources.

The committee queried the progress of the B4B system since its introduction to the council, including assurance of the control measures in place. Members were particularly interested to know the income generated from schools. Officers committed to providing a written response.

A written response from ICT colleagues was requested in relation to the control measures in place for those staff leaving the authority to ensure access to systems was removed promptly.

Mazars stated that the final Statement of Accounts would be published at the end of March/early April, alongside the Value for Money report. It was also confirmed that Mazars would handover its external auditor responsibilities to Ernst and Young for the 2023-24 audit period and that the handover procedure had commenced.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the Audit and Governance Committee

1.    Receive the Audit Completion Report for the year ending 31 March 2023.

2.    Delegate authority to the S151 Officer to:

a.    Sign off the Statement of Accounts for 2022-23, once the audit had concluded, and;

b.    Notify the Audit and Governance Committee of the final signed Accounts being published on the council website.