Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Darren Armstrong (Deputy Director Organisational Assurance & Resilience).

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary or personal interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.

To hear any deputations for which requests have been received from members of the public, in accordance with Standing Order 67.

There were no deputations received at the meeting.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on Wednesday 12 June 2024 as a correct record.

RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the last meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday 12 June 2024.

To receive an update on the progress in finalising the External Auditor Annual Report and Council’s Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 24 following consideration of the item at the preceding Audit & Standards Advisory Committee and in advance of the final Statement of Accounts 2023-24 being approved.

(Agenda republished to include the attached report on Friday 21 February 2025)

The Committee received a report from the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources providing an update on progress in finalising the Council’s and Pension Fund Statement of Accounts for 2023-24.

Following consideration of the update provided at the preceding meeting of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee, the Committee noted that whilst the external audit on the final Statement of Accounts being undertaken by Grant Thornton was subject to final completion no issues had been identified at this stage as likely to impact on the anticipated outcome of the audit, with the result still expected to be an unqualified audit opinion being issued.

Pending the anticipated completion of the final audit findings, the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee had agreed to recommend to the Audit & Standards Committee that the Statement of Accounts be approved subject to no other material changes being identified as required by the auditors and that approval of the draft letters of representation be delegated to the Corporate Director Finance & Resources.

On the basis of the recommendations made at the preceding Audit & Standards Advisory Committee, it was therefore RESOLVED that the Audit and Standards Committee:

(1)       Note the draft audit opinions, as set out in Appendices B & D of the report.

(2)    Approve the final Statement of Accounts for 2023-24, subject to no material changes being required by the auditors.

(3)    Agree that approval of the draft letters of representation to Grant Thornton for the Council and Pension Fund be delegated to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources, as set out in Appendices A & C of the report.

(4)    Authorise the Chair of the Audit & Standards Committee to sign the final 2023-24 Statement of Accounts, subject to a written assurance being provided that all outstanding matters and adjustments contained in the Audit Findings Report had been made.  If any material adjustments were required as a result of the final Audit Findings Report being issued, these would be reported back to the Committee and also sent to the Chair of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee.  The Committee was advised that confirmation would also be provided for all members once final sign off of the Statement of Accounts had been completed.

(5)    Approve the audit fees for 2023-24 be approved, as detailed in section 3.2.7 of the report.

With no further recommendations to approve, the Chair formally thanked Sophia Brown and the Grant Thornton Team, as well as Minesh Patel, Ravinder Jassar and the Council’s Finance team for their work in progressing completion of the audit and Statement of Accounts.