Agenda item

The Committee will receive the External Audit Progress Report and Technical Update.

Ms L Wild, representing the Council’s External Auditor (KMPG) submitted the Progress report and Technical update.

The report:

·         Provided an overview of the progress made by the External Auditor in delivering their responsibilities to the Council.  At each stage of the audit the Auditor issued certain deliverables including reports and opinions and a summary of progress made against these deliverables was appended to the report

·         Gave details of the KPMG resources in relation to

·         The Governance Arrangements work over the Better Care Fund

·         The Local Government Seminar Series – Winter 2015 to be held in Leeds on the 15^th October, 2015 invitations for which had been sent out

·         The KPMG Publication entitled ‘Value of Audit – Perspectives for Government)

·         Highlighted the main technical issues which were currently having an impact on local government and which were being addressed

·         An Appendix to the report provided details of the Audit deliverables for 2014/15.

The progress report indicated that risk based audit planning for the 2014/15 audit of the financial statements and Value for Money conclusion had been completed.  The audit of the draft financial statements was almost complete and the ISA260 report had been presented to Committee today with a view to the issuing of the opinion on the financial statements by 30^th September, 2015. 

The Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Claim was the only grant remaining under the Public Sector Audit Appointments regime (PSAA) and work had commenced on this audit in June.  A report would be submitted before the deadline of 30^th November, 2015.

In relation to other work, work was being undertaken on restructuring of subsidiary groups and the Bull TCL contract termination which would require an additional fee of £16,250.  Work was also being undertaken in relation to grants falling outside the PSAA regime in relation to the Teachers Pension Return, National Teacher Training and Pooling of Capital Receipts.  The audit fees for these claims and returns were to be agreed with officers.

The Technical Update outlined various issues that were currently having an impact on Local Government and these were ‘colour coded’ to indicate their potential impact. 

RESOLVED that the External Audit Progress Statement, Resources Report and Technical Update be received and noted.