Agenda item

The Committee will receive the External Audit Technical Update which incorporates the External Audit Progress Report

Mr M Moore (KPMG) presented the Technical Update and External Audit progress report. 

The Committee was informed that the Interim Audit was substantially complete and that an interim report would be submitted to the June meeting.

Work was continuing on Value for Money throughout the audit and any findings would be reported as part of the interim report.  Planning was currently underway for the certification of the claims and returns and work on the 2016/17 Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Claim would be undertaken in accordance with the appropriate guidance.  Work was also being undertaken in relation to grants claims and returns which fell outside the PSAA regime in relation to the Teachers’ Pension Agency Return and the Pooling of Capital Receipts. 

An appendix to the report gave details of the 2016/17 deliverables together with the timing and status of those deliverables.

The report then went on to give details of KPMG resources and recent technical developments. 

In the ensuing discussion particular reference was made to the following:

·         The use of reserves and the possible need to look at new approaches to finding fresh income including data sharing as detailed within the Resources paper.  Mr Moore stated that details of the reports referred to could be circulated to all members.  He reported that KPMG were working with a number of Councils on various issues in this area and the officer undertaking this work would be able to come to a future meeting to outline they type of work undertaken if this was required

·         Arising out of the above discussion the Head of Financial Services briefly outlined the current approach to the Council’s reserves strategy.  The Director of Core Services stated that the budget papers considered by Council contained details of the Council’s current use of reserves and balances and these could be re-circulated

RESOLVED that the External Audit progress report, resources and technical update be noted.