The Head of Financial Services and Acting Section 151 Officer presented his report which advised that the Council’s Constitution allocated responsibility for the approval of the Statement of Accounts to the Audit and Risk Management Committee. The Statement for 2014/2015 was published on 30 June 2015 and had been subject to audit by the Council’s external auditor, Grant Thornton UK LLP, who had presented their findings, within the Audit Findings Report (see Minute 25 ante).

He informed that the purpose of the Statement of Accounts was to present the overall financial position of the Council at 31 March 2015. The amendments to the Accounts were as detailed in the Audit Findings Report (see Minute 25 ante) and the financial position of the Council remained unchanged from that reported in the Accounts published at 30 June 2015 (Cabinet Minute 25, 13 July 2015 refers). Subject to the Committees consideration of the Audit Findings Report and agreement to the Letter of Representation, Grant Thornton would issue the Audit Opinion, which would state that the Accounts represented a true and fair view of the financial position of the Council at 31 March 2015. The Opinion, together with the revised Annual Governance Statement, would be included in the Statement of Accounts to be published before 30 September 2015.

A draft Letter of Representation on behalf of the Committee which gave assurances to the Auditor on various aspects relating to the Council Accounts was included as an appendix to the report.

Resolved: That

(1)  the Audit Findings Report presented by Grant Thornton be noted, noting the actions taken over the amendments to the Statement of Accounts as detailed in section 2 of the report now submitted;

(2)  the Findings and Action Plan in relation to Value for Money as detailed in section 3 of the report be agreed;

(3)  the Chair of the Committee be authorised to sign off the Council’s 2014/2015 Statement of Accounts; and

(4)  the Chair of the Committee with the Head of Financial Services and Acting S151 Officer be authorised to sign and date the Letter of Representation.