Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services

Mr David Hoose, from Mazars, the Council’s external auditor presented the Council’s Annual Audit Letter, which summarises the work undertaken for the financial year 2019/20. The audit responsibilities of the external audit are defined by the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Code of Audit Practice, issued by the National Audit Office. The letter provided the Group with details of these responsibilities, the work the audit had done to discharge them, and the key findings from their work.

Mr Hoose confirmed the issues raised at the last Governance Scrutiny meeting and highlighted the comments made in the Officers report in respect of signing off the Statement of Accounts, which was extended until 30 November 2020. The report of the Executive Manager – Finance and Corporate Services explained that the deadline was not met through no fault of the Council, but due to delays in the auditors gaining assurance from the Pension Fund Accounts. Irrespective of this no significant issues have arisen during 2019/20 with only some non-material misstatements in relation to Pensions and Property, Plant and Equipment.

It was RESOLVED that the Group note the Annual Audit Letter.