Decision details

The Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer)/ Finance Specialist (Deputy Section 151 Officer) introduced the draft Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement 2021/22. She noted that the updated report and appendices had been circulated ahead of the meeting and that they had superseded the previous version.

Note – Members passed a resolution to briefly adjourn the meeting at 6.53 p.m. The meeting was the reconvened at 6.56 p.m.

The unaudited Statement of Accounts had been approved and published by the Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer) on 5 July 2022 and had been opened up to scrutiny and comment from the public on the 8 July 2022 as well as being reported to the 28 July 2022 Audit Committee. There was a statutory deadline of 30 November for publication of the 2021/22 Statement of Accounts, or as soon as reasonably practicable after receipt of the Audit Opinion

The Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer) informed Members of a number of amendments which had been identified in the updated Appendix 1, which was circulated before the meeting and that the letter of representation had been adjusted. The report proposed that the Chairman be authorised to sign the Statement of Accounts and sign the letter of representation once the amendments had been made.

Members expressed thanks to officers for their continued hard work through an extremely difficult period due to Covid-19 and the pressures of Local Government Reorganisation.

Members were asked to approve recommendations 1-5 as set out in the report and consider recommendation 6 as set out in the report under Agenda Item No. 8 (External Audit Opinion on Accounts – Audit Findings Report).

RESOLVED – That

(1)        the Statement of Accounts 2021/22 be approved;

(2)        the letter of representation be approved;

(3)        the Chair of the Audit Committee be authorised to sign the letter of representation and the Statement of Accounts on behalf of the Committee;

(4)        the Chair of the Audit Committee be authorised to re-sign the Statement of Accounts in the event of further amendments following the final audit findings report; and

(5)        the Annual Governance Statement action plan be noted.