For the committee to receive the external auditor’s annual audit letter for 2017/18 and determine whether further action or inclusion in the committee’s work programme is appropriate.

The chairman used his discretion to move the external audit progress report to the first item. 

Following a query from a member of the committee, Grant Thornton stated that under the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, details of the outstanding issue cannot be disclosed.   It was confirmed that this is the third year that the certificate remained opened.    The S151 officer who is the council officer with responsibility for this issue, indicated that it was complicated and that there was a reliance on other parties and agencies.   The S151 officer was not in a position to give an end date but that it may be completed by the end of this financial year but there was no guarantee.    The committee stressed that this issue should be concluded as soon as possible and preferably within this financial year.   

It was noted that the certificates would be issued as soon as the matter had been resolved.

It was proposed that the S151 officer report back as part of one of the standard items and then the committee would have the option to escalate as a matter of urgency.   A named vote was undertaken as follows: 

For:            4 (Councillors DB Wilcox, SD Williams, RJ Phillips, PD Newman, OBE)

Against:    3 (Councillors EPJ Harvey, EE Chowns, ACR Chappell)

Abstentions:  0

The proposal was carried.   

Following a query from a member of the committee, the S151 officer confirmed that the council’s website had been updated to reflect that the audit certificate had not been issued by Grant Thornton and agreed to circulate a link to all committee members to the relevant section of the website.  

In response to a query from a member of the committee, Grant Thornton confirmed that capital was a significant component of the audit.   This formed part of the audit plan which was presented to the committee on an annual basis.  

RESOLVED

That the report be noted.