Decision details

The Committee considered a report setting out, for approval, the County Council's Statement of Accounts for 2017/18.

A number of amendments had been made to the document since the publication of the agenda and these were tabled at the meeting.

It was reported that, due to the outstanding opinion of the external auditor, it would not be possible under the regulations for the Committee to approve the Statement of Accounts as intended by the statutory deadline of 31 July 2018. As previously reported at item 6, this delay had been discussed with Public Sector Audit Appointments and would not have a negative impact on the County Council.

It was noted that Grant Thornton had been consistent in terms of the advice given to all the local authorities for which it provided an external audit service and which had a similar LOBO loan arrangement. It was also noted, however, that a number of local authorities had their accounting treatment in this regard approved where the external audit services were provided by other audit firms.

Resolved: - That:

(i)  The Statement of Accounts for 2017/18 as set out in the report, now presented, together with the changes tabled at the meeting, subject to external audit, be noted;

(ii)  Approval of the Statement of Accounts for 2017/18 be deferred to a further meeting of the Committee to be held as soon as practically possible after the completion of the outstanding audit work.