Agenda item

Report of the Director of Operations

The Group Director of Operations submitted a report (previously circulated) to provide Members with the Final Accounts Closedown Timetable for 2023/24.

It was reported that under the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2022, it was the responsibility of the Group Director of Operations to sign and certify the unaudited Statement of Accounts (SoA) 2023/24 by no later than 31 May 2024 and it was also the responsibility of the Audit Committee to approve the audited set of accounts on, or before, 30 September 2024.

The final accounts timetable served as a tool for the effective management and monitoring of the process of closing the Council’s accounts. 

The Group Director of Operations reported that the timetable was compiled annually by the Finance Team with input from service areas to ensure that deadlines were achievable and would lead to completion of an SoA for signing by the Section 151 Officer by the statutory deadline with less disruption to the normal work schedule of the Council.  The achievement of the dates in the timetable throughout the period was closely monitored by the Finance manager to ensure the agreed timetable would be achieved and to identify any improvements which could be made to the process.

RESOLVED – That the key dates in the Final Accounts Timetable for 2023/24 be noted.