The District Auditor, Michael Thomas was in attendance at the meeting and presented the Audit Commission’s Annual Audit Letter dated 14 August 2012 which summarised the audit work for the 2010/11 audit of the Council, including the Merseyside Pension Fund. 

Mr Thomas had discussed and agreed the letter with the Chief Executive and the Interim Director of Finance.

It had been another challenging year for the Council.  Mr Thomas thanked Members and Officers for the positive and helpful approach they had taken to his audit.  He also thanked the Senior Management and the Council’s Audit and Risk Management Committee for their support and co-operation during the audit.

Councillor Phil Davies told the Cabinet that, clearly, the Council had experienced a very difficult year.  He referred to the weaknesses that the District Auditor had identified in the Council’s corporate governance arrangements which Members were taking extremely seriously.  Councillor Phil Davies informed that with the help of the new Chief Executive, Graham Burgess and the Improvement Board, the highlighted weaknesses were being addressed and the Council’s corporate governance arrangements were being strengthened. 

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the District Auditor be thanked for the work he had undertaken to date; and

(2)  the contents of the Audit Commission’s Annual Audit Letter be noted.