Issue - meetings

Statement of Accounts 2019/20

Meeting: 09/09/2020 - Audit Committee (Item 74)

74 Statement of Accounts 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 99 KB

Additional documents:

Decision:

(a)     That the final version of the Statement of Accounts 2019/20 be approved, incorporating the updated position on emergency grant funding;

 

(b)     That the Audit Wales report ‘Audit of the Financial Statements - Flintshire County Council’ be noted; and

 

(c)     That the Letter of Representation be approved.

Minutes:

The Corporate Finance Manager presented the final version of the Statement of Accounts 2019/20 incorporating changes agreed with Audit Wales (AW) during the course of the audit.  Having received the draft accounts for information in July, the Committee was asked to approve the final version incorporating updated information on emergency grant funding following confirmation by Welsh Government (WG) as follows:

 

·         COVID-19 Income loss funding of £78m - since clarified for the period April to June 2020.

·         An additional £264m to support councils in Wales - details to be confirmed.

·         A revised figure of £31.3m of business support grant payments made by the Council with applied rate relief of £16.2m.

 

On the findings of the AW report, the Corporate Finance Manager said it was reassuring that note that the statements had been produced to a good standard within the timescale, despite the challenges arising from the emergency situation.  In addition, he was pleased to report that the Council was on track to publish the accounts within the statutory deadline.  He expressed his thanks to Paul Vaughan, John Richards, Liz Thomas and the team for their work in reaching this position and reminded the Committee that the Clwyd Pension Fund accounts were subject to a separate approval process.  He went on to comment on the significant challenges of an earlier timetable for the 2020/21 accounts on which work had already commenced.

 

In highlighting key areas of the report, Mike Whiteley of AW praised the Finance team for their responsiveness during the audit and the manner in which they had collated the accounts to the usual high standard under significantly challenging circumstances.  The report reflected the impact of the pandemic on the audit which required adapting to a different way of working and acknowledged the positive working relationship with Council officers to resolve queries promptly throughout the process.  The inclusion of an ‘Emphasis of Matter’ drew attention to uncertainties arising from the emergency situation on two areas, which did not alter the unqualified (clean) opinion to be given on the group accounts.

 

Allan Rainford expressed his gratitude to the Finance team for their work on the accounts.  He referred to the correction on Note 10 on assets held for sale and said that this could be referred to as a presentational issue as there was no impact on the balance sheet.  Mike Whiteley provided clarification on the lack of review of asset lives of Council buildings during the valuation process, confirming that whilst this did not lead to a material misstatement, arrangements were being made to resolve the matter for 2020/21.

 

Following a question by the Chairman, the Chief Executive provided clarification on the integrated community equipment service located at Hawarden.

 

When asked by Sally Ellis about the impact of remote working, Mike Whiteley gave examples of alternative methods used during the audit process and confirmed that there were no restrictions on the level of assurance from the items tested.

 

Councillor Banks took the opportunity to thank the Council’s officers and AW colleagues  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74