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MAIDSTONE BOROUGH COUNCIL

AUDIT COMMITTEE

21 MARCH 2011

REPORT OF HEAD OF FINANCE & CUSTOMER SERVICES

Report prepared by Paul Riley,

Head of Finance & Customer Services 

1.           AUDIT COMMISSION PROGRESS REPORT – MARCH 2011

1.1        Issue for Decision

1.1.1   To consider the report of the External Auditor on the progress to date against the 2010/11 audit plan.

1.2        Recommendation of Head of Finance & Customer Services

1.2.1   That Audit Committee notes the External Auditors progress report attached as Appendix A. 

1.3        Reasons for Recommendation

1.3.1   The Audit Commission produces an annual audit plan and monitors its work for each local authority against that plan.  Details of key dates in the plan are given in the attached progress report in its appendix 1.

1.3.2   The External Auditor has raised no concerns with the Council in their report on progress to date.  In general the progress of the External Auditor is in line with the original Audit Plan.

1.3.3   The Committee may wish to note the section of the report at Appendix A on recent publications from the Audit Commission.

1.4        Alternative Action and why not Recommended

1.4.1   Due to the responsibilities of both the External Auditor and this Committee a progress report of this sort is appropriate for consideration.  To not consider the report would weaken the control over the process that is available to the Committee.

1.5        Impact on Corporate Objectives

1.5.1   The External Auditor’s Audit Plan is focusing on the Auditor’s opinion being issued by the statutory deadline of 30^th September.

1.6        Risk Management

1.6.1   This report helps this Committee’s governance responsibilities and aids the mitigation of the risk of failure to produce the statutory accounts by the due date through the provision of timely warnings regarding possible issues.

1.7        Other Implications

1.7.1    

1.8        Relevant Documents

1.8.1   Appendices

Appendix A – Audit Committee Progress Report

IS THIS A KEY DECISION REPORT? X     Yes                                               No     If yes, when did it first appear in the Forward Plan?   ..     This is a Key Decision because: ..   .       Wards/Parishes affected: ..   ..