Agenda item

Report of the Chief Executive

The Chief Executive submitted a report (previously circulated) seeking approval of the Council’s draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) (also previously circulated).

It was reported that most local authorities financial statements for 2022/23 remain unaudited, as a result of delays in the external audit process.  Publication of the AGS follows the same timetable.  

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 as amended by the Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2021 require local authorities to prepare, approve and publish, each year an AGS.  These regulations also determine the timetable for approval and publication and the Council must publish its draft AGS no later than 31 May  and its final audited version no later than 13 December of the financial year immediately following the end of the financial year to which the statement relates.

It was also reported that as a consequence of the aforementioned delays the draft unaudited AGS was published on 30 June 2023.

The Council has updated paragraph 142 in the final 2022/23 AGS to read,?the Council’s external auditors Ernst and Young LLP (EY) are expected to give a disclaimed rather than an unqualified opinion on the Council’s 2022/23 accounts by the target date of 13 December 2024.  The Council has not identified any other significant governance issues pertinent to 2022/23 which would prompt an update to the AGS. 

The Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23 outlined the Council’s responsibilities, explained the purpose of the governance framework; set out the key elements; detailed the review of its effectiveness; highlighted any significant governance issues; and included a commitment by the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to ensure the continuous improvement of the system in place.  

RESOLVED – That the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23, as appended to the submitted report, be approved.