Agenda item

External Audit Plan

Minutes:

Gareth Mills (representing the External Auditor) attended the meeting virtually and provided a verbal update of the work currently being undertaken by External Audit.

 

Meetings had been held with the Service Director Finance and the Head of Corporate Finance and Business Partnering and work was now progressing on the 2021/22 audit with a view to having the final ISA 260 report completed in accordance with the agreed timescales for submission to this Committee and to Council in November.

 

He reported that the Financial Reporting Council was to undertake an inspection of the External Auditors audit work and Value for Money Work for Barnsley Council.  As part of that, the FRC inspectors would speak to the Chair but Gareth Mills and Thilina De Zoysa would also speak with the Chair and relevant officers as part of that process.  The results of the inspection would be shared with the Committee and with the Chair and the Service Director Finance prior to a report being submitted on the findings to this Committee later in the year.

 

In response to specific questioning, Gareth Mills commented on the potential implications of the ‘Goodwin case’ and its impact on Pension Fund accounting and for Local Government and Pension Fund Liability.  Adjustments had been made in relation to the Pension Fund liability to estimate the potential impact of the court judgement and this had been updated in the 2020/21 audit report.  It was noted that there were significant audit risks involved and this was subject to piece of work currently being undertaken and would again appear as part of the audit report for 2021/22.

 

RESOLVED  that the External Auditors update report be noted.

 

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