Issue - meetings

This report sets out the timeframe for publication of the draft Statement of Accounts 2023/24 and seeks approval for the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24.

The Committee received a report from Alison Scott, Director of Finance, which set out the draft Statement of Accounts 2023/24 and sought approval for the Annual Governance Statement.

The Director of Finance confirmed that the Statement of Accounts would be published by the deadline of close of business on 31 May 2024. At the same time, updated versions of 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 would also be published. This would ensure that there would be a full set of accounts to give to the auditors when they started their audit.

Once published, the public inspection period would start in June.

The deadline for the audit of the 2023/24 accounts would move in line with the Governments proposal for a ‘backstop date’, expected to be 30 September 2024, but was yet to be confirmed.

The Annual Governance Statement was required to be published every year and was approved by the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council. The role of the Audit Committee was to review and approve the Annual Governance Statement.

At the same time, a self-assessment had been completed against the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accounting (CIPFA) Code of Practice. There had been one issue rated Amber, which was the audit of accounts. These had not taken place because of the national problem.

RESOLVED: that the Committee

(1)   Approved the Annual Governance Statement 2023/24.

(2)   Noted that the Director of Finance would authorise for issue a Draft Statement of Accounts 2022/23 for public inspection by 31 May 2024.