This report updates the Committee on progress with the completion of the

Council’s Final Accounts for 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Peter Robinson, interim Assistant Director of Finance, submitted a report providing an update on the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20.  The report stated that the Audit of the 2017/18 Accounts was nearing completion, with RBC Officers now having responded to all aside from a handful of the current Ernst and Young (EY) queries. EY was currently reviewing RBC responses and some follow-on queries may subsequently arise given the volume of work undertaken.  In addition, the draft 2018/19 Accounts had been completed and handed over to the Auditors in mid-February 2020. The audit of this set of Accounts was expected to begin in August 2020.  Officers were also fully engaged in completing the 2019/20 accounts. At this stage, it was anticipated that the draft 2019/20 accounts would be completed and handed over to EY in August 2020 and available for public inspection shortly thereafter.

Resolved:

(1)           That the progress made in relation to the Audit of the 2017/18 Accounts, be noted;

(2)           That the progress being made in closing the 2019/20 Accounts, be noted;

(3)           That the indicative commencement date of the Audits of both the 2018/19 and 2019/20 Accounts would be August 2020, be noted.