Issue - meetings

The Committee considered the report of the External Auditor on the progress to date against the 2015/16 Audit Plan.  The report also included a summary of emerging national issues and developments that might be relevant to the Committee together with a number of challenge questions in respect of these emerging issues.

In response to questions, it was explained that:

·  With regard to changes in accounting for the Highways Network Asset from 2016/17, CIPFA expected that the transport infrastructure assets held by district councils/non-highways authorities would be scoped out of the new requirements as assets were unlikely to form a single interconnected network.  However, district councils would need to consider the nature of their transport infrastructure assets to assure themselves and evidence that their transport infrastructure assets were not part of an interconnected network and were, therefore, outside of the scope of the requirements.

·  This year local authorities would need to estimate a provision for unlodged National Non-Domestic Rate appeals, but as any unlodged appeals as at 31 March 2016 would only be backdated to 1 April 2015 this might not be material, and there was already contingency provision for existing appeals.

RESOLVED:  That the External Auditor’s update report, attached as Appendix A to the report of the Head of Finance and Resources, be noted.