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Audit Progress Report & Sector Update (year ended 31 March 2020)

 

 

Final Decision-Maker

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee

 

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Mark Green, Director of Finance and Business Improvement

 

Lead Officer and Report Author

Chris Hartgrove, Interim Head of Finance

Classification

Public

 

Wards affected

All

 

 

Executive Summary Members of the Committee are invited to consider the external auditor’s (Grant Thornton) report which provides an update on progress with the 2019/20 audit and offers a summary of emerging national issues and developments of relevance to the local government sector. Representatives from Grant Thornton will be in attendance at the meeting to present their report and respond to any questions.

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee

18 November 2019

This report makes the following recommendations to the Committee: 1. That the external auditor’s (Grant Thornton) Audit Progress Report & Sector Update for the year ended 31st March 2020 (Appendix 1) be noted.


Audit Progress Report & Sector Update (year ended 31 March 2020)

1.        CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

The report is focused on ensuring that the auditor’s opinion on the 2019/20 financial statements and value for money conclusion are issued by the statutory deadline of 31st July 2020.

 

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Cross Cutting Objectives

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

 

Risk Management

Detailed within Section 5.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Financial

There are no direct financial implications arising from the report, although the opinion on the Statement of Accounts and Value for Money conclusion are one mechanism through which the Council demonstrates financial accountability.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Staffing

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Legal

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Privacy and Data Protection

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

 

Equalities

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Public Health

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Crime and Disorder

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Procurement

No implications identified.

Director of Finance & Business Improvement

 

2.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

2.1     External audit services are provided by Grant Thornton for the 2019/20 financial year following their appointment by Public Sector Audit Appointments Ltd (PSAA) for the period from 2018/19 to 2022/23.

 

2.2    
The report attached at Appendix 1 provides an update on progress with the 2019/20 audit and informs committee Members of a number of relevant emerging issues and sector developments.

 

3.       AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

3.1   The report is for noting only.


4.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

4.1 The report is for noting only.


5.      RISK

 

5.1     The report is presented for information only and has no risk management implications.


 

 

6.      CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

6.1     No formal consultation has been undertaken in relation to this report.


7.      NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

7.1     The next steps are outlined in Appendix 1.


8.        REPORT APPENDICES

8.1   The following document is published with this report and forms part of the report:

 

·                Appendix 1 – “Audit Progress Report & Sector Update (year ended 31st March 2020)”


9.       BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

9.1   None.