Decision details

The Chair welcomed Robin Baker, Director and Engagement Lead and Angela Pieri, Engagement Manager, representing Grant Thornton, the county council's external auditors, to their first meeting of the committee.

Robin Baker, Director, Grant Thornton UK, presented the external audit progress report and sector update 2018/19 as of January 2019.

The committee's attention was drawn to the following key areas of the report:

·  The audit of the 2017/18 council's financial statements had been completed and the audit opinion including the value for money conclusion had been issued on 28 August 2018.

·  The audit of the 2017/18 pension fund had been completed and the unqualified audit opinion had been issued on 31 July 2018. 

·  The closure certificate from 2012/13 onwards remained outstanding as a result of an ongoing police investigation.  Once the investigation had been concluded the auditors would be in a position to assess the implications on the audit of the council.

·  Planning for the 2018/19 financial audit had commenced and would be shared with officers and the committee in due course.

·  The certification of the Teacher's Pension Return had been completed prior to the deadline date and no significant issues had been identified.

·  The external auditors provided a range of workshops, network events and publications and thanks were expressed to the council for facilitating a forthcoming event. 

Resolved: That the report now presented be noted.