Agenda item

RESOLVED:

·  To approve the Council’s 2021/22 Statement of Accounts subject to the

finalization of audit processes and resolution of the infrastructure asset

issue;

·  To approve that the Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources be authorised to agree and approve the final Statement of Accounts for

2021/22 subject to the finalisation of the external auditor’s outstanding

work as set out in their Audit Progress Report and resolution of the issue

in relation to infrastructure assets;

·  To approve, in its own right, the Annual Governance Statement contained within the Statement of Accounts.

5.1  The Director of Financial Management introduced the report

5.2  Councillor Garbatt asked for clarification on the following:

·  The reference to ‘adequate’ at page 53;

·  The reference to ‘not fully compliant’ at page 56;

·  Hackney walks at page 95;

5.3  It was confirmed that the reference to adequate was positive. The Group

Director of Finance and Corporate Resources would liaise with Councillor Garbett outside of the meeting in regard to Hackney Walks. 

5.4  The Head of Audit and Anti-Fraud told the Committee that the Audit Service was not fully compliant with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards solely due to the fact that an external review of the service has not been possible recently due to the impacts of the pandemic and the cyber attack - this is currently a common position across local government.

5.5  Councillor Smyth asked:

·  If the overspend on the HRA and the fact that the collection level of business rates was not as expected were matters of concern;

·  What impact a reduction in the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) would have on transport, flood defence, etc.

5.6   The Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources highlighted

  that:

·  That CIL accrued from developments that took place. This source of funding had less conditions attached to it but there was a need to specify the types of areas of expenditure that it was allocated to. No capital project would result in no levy being generated. There were other sources of funding for capital programmes such the council’s own resources and Government grants,etc. Prioritisation of capital programmes was essential. Based on forecasts there was a relative steadiness to CILs;

·  In regard to business rates the accounts were historical. The Council Tax base rate and business rate collection report would be submitted to the next meeting of Council. Work was ongoing within the revenue team on collection figures around which there was confidence. The government had announced relief that mitigated the collection risk.

5.7  The Director of Financial Management confirmed that the HRA was in a deficit position of over £1m. It was clarified that repairs and maintenance were funded from sources other than the HRA. 

  RESOLVED:

·  To approve the Council’s 2021/22 Statement of Accounts subject to the

·  finalisation of audit processes and resolution of the infrastructure asset

·  Issue

·  That the Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources be authorised to agree and approve the final Statement of Accounts for 2021/22, subject to the finalisation of the external auditor’s outstanding work as set out in their Audit Progress Report and the resolution of the issue in relation to infrastructure assets.

·  To approve, in its own right, the Annual Governance Statement contained within the Statement of Accounts.

RESOLVED:

·  To approve the Council’s 2021/22 Statement of Accounts subject to the

finalization of audit processes and resolution of the infrastructure asset

issue;

·  To approve that the Group Director of Finance and Corporate Resources be authorised to agree and approve the final Statement of Accounts for

2021/22 subject to the finalisation of the external auditor’s outstanding

work as set out in their Audit Progress Report and resolution of the issue

in relation to infrastructure assets;

·  To approve, in its own right, the Annual Governance Statement contained within the Statement of Accounts.