The subject of the decision:

The Director of Finance and Commercial (s151 Officer) submitted a report which provided an update on the position of the statutory auditor report - Audit Results Report and the Council’s financial report for 2019/20 as well as information on the external audit scale fees and fee variations.  The Statutory Auditor Report – Ernst Young’s Audit Results Report was not yet complete due to Ernst Young LLP requesting, as a result of their final internal consultation process, the Council to carry out a further independent review in relation to the Value for Money Opinion.  Therefore, the Statement of Accounts 2019/20, the Annual Governance Statement along with the Audit Results Report and Letter of Representation would be brought back to the next meeting of Audit, Governance and Standards Committee when the independent review had been concluded and the Audit Results Report finalised.

Alternative options considered:

None.

The reason for the decision:

The Committee acknowledged that the external audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2020 had not yet been completed by the Council’s external auditors, Ernst Young LLP, due to their request for the Council to carry out a further independent review in relation to the Value for Money Opinion.  This situation was in line with the Regulation 10, paragraph (2a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, as amended by the Accounts and Audit (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 No. 404.

The decision:

That the Committee notes:-

1)     the statutory auditor report on the 2019/20 audit and the Council’s financial report – Statement of Accounts – 2019/20 will be presented at the next appropriate meeting; and

2)     the external audit scale fees and fee variations.