Issue - meetings

(i)       in response to a question from the Convener relating to the City Region Deal and whether the delays with the city fibre network had been taken into account within the accounts, to note that the Interim Chief Officer Finance would liaise with the Service and provide a response to the Committee;

(ii)      in response to a question from the Convener relating to renumeration bands and the difference between the figures from the previous year and how many was attributed to exit packages, to note that the Interim Chief Officer Finance would liaise with colleagues and provide a response to the Committee;

(iii)      to note the thanks offered to all those involved with the accounts process, specifically members of the finance team for the work undertaken to get the unaudited accounts before the Committee;

(iv)     to approve the Annual Governance Statement as included in the Council’s unaudited Annual Accounts for the financial year 2017/18;

(v)      to note that following the meeting, the Council’s and the registered charities unaudited Annual Accounts would be finalised, signed and submitted to Audit Scotland;

(vi)     to note that this Committee on 26 June 2018 would receive the Council’s audited accounts for consideration and approval prior to their signature by the Director of Resources, Chief Executive and a Council Leader;

(vii)     to note that this Committee on 26 June would receive the external auditor’s report on the annual accounts for debate and consideration and that the report would set out the auditor’s findings and conclusions, highlight the significant issues arising from the audit of the annual accounts and inform Members of the proposed audit opinion in advance of the accounts being certified; and

(viii)    to note that this Committee would receive the audited Annual Accounts for the registered charities for consideration and approval prior to their signature along with the associated external auditor’s report.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Resources which (1) provided an overview of the Council’s 2017/18 unaudited annual accounts; (2) sought approval of the annual Governance Statement which had been included in the 2017/18 unaudited accounts; and (3) provided the unaudited 2017/18 accounts for those registered charities where the Council was the sole trustee and were subject to statutory requirements for separate accounts and audit opinions.

The report recommended:

That the Committee -

(a)      approve the Annual Governance Statement as included in the Council’s unaudited Annual Accounts for the financial year 2017/18;

(b)      note that following the meeting, the Council’s and the registered charities unaudited Annual Accounts would be finalised, signed and submitted to Audit Scotland;

(c)      note that this Committee on 26 June 2018 would receive the Council’s audited accounts for consideration and approval prior to their signature by the Director of Resources, Chief Executive and a Council Leader;

(d)      note that this Committee on 26 June would receive the external auditor’s report on the annual accounts for debate and consideration and that the report would set out the auditor’s findings and conclusions, highlight the significant issues arising from the audit of the annual accounts and inform Members of the proposed audit opinion in advance of the accounts being certified; and

(e)      note that this Committee would receive the audited Annual Accounts for the registered charities for consideration and approval prior to their signature along with the associated external auditor’s report.

The Convener thanked all staff involved with the accounts process, specifically members of the finance team for the work undertaken to get the unaudited accounts before the Committee at an early stage than previous years.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       in response to a question from the Convener relating to the City Region Deal and whether the delays with the city fibre network had been taken into account within the accounts, to note that the Interim Chief Officer Finance would liaise with the Service and provide a response to the Committee;

(ii)      in response to a question from the Convener relating to renumeration bands and the difference between the figures from the previous year and how many was attributed to exit packages, to note that the Interim Chief Officer Finance would liaise with colleagues and provide a response to the Committee;

(iii)      to note the thanks offered to all those involved with the accounts process, specifically members of the finance team for the work undertaken to get the unaudited accounts before the Committee; and

(iv)     to otherwise approve the recommendations contained in the report.