Decision details

Council considered a report by the Chief Financial Officer (circulated previously) regarding the Statement of Accounts for 2018/19.  The Chief Financial Officer advised that the External Audit of Accounts commenced on 1^st July 2019 and that the Audit Findings report was reported to the Governance Committee on 22^nd July 2019 which gave an unqualified opinion on financial statements and value for money conclusion and three recommendations following key findings which had been accepted by management and responses had been built into the Action Plan.  The Accounts were formally required to be signed off by Council on 24^th July 2019.  He outlined the narrative report which set out the challenges the Council faced, how those challenges would be met and reviewed the last financial year 2018/19. 

The Chief Financial Officer advised that a paper detailing adjustments identified during the 2018/19 audit which had not been made within the final set of financial statements had been tabled.  The Governance Committee had approved the management’s proposed treatment of all items detailed in the paper.

Councillor Phillips, Vice-Chair of the Governance Committee reported the recommendations of the Governance Committee on 11^th June 2019 and 22^nd July 2019 and advised that the Committee had supported the recommendation.  He thanked the Head of Resources and his staff for their work.

In response to a question, the Chief Financial Officer advised that a review of the pension liability would be undertaken during the Autumn to identify the cash impact on the Council.  This would then be fed into the budget setting process and Members would be advised.

It was moved by Councillor Prowse and seconded by Councillor Barker that the recommendation in the report be adopted.

RESOLVED that the Statement of Accounts 2018/19 be approved, and that the Chairman of the Council sign and date the Statement of Accounts as required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations.