Minutes:
The circulated report of the Assistant Director of Finance and Strategy was received in relation to the Outturn and draft Statement of Accounts for Kettering Borough Council and Borough Council of Wellingborough.
Appended to the report were the Outturn Reports for Kettering Borough Council and Borough Council of Wellingborough, Kettering Borough Council Draft Accounts 2020/2021 and the Borough Council of Wellingborough Draft Accounts for 2020/2021.
The Council’s governance arrangements require the Audit and Governance Committee to receive and approve the Statement of Accounts for the former District and Borough Councils in North Northamptonshire.
The report recommended the Committee to approve the draft Statement of Accounts in relation to Kettering Borough Council for 2020/2021 and to note the draft accounts in relation to the Borough Council of Wellingborough for 2020/2021. The accounts for Wellingborough will be subject to a further report to the Audit and Governance Committee on 8 November 2021.
The reason for the recommendation is that it is a statutory requirement for the Council to approve the annual Statement of Accounts and to consider the External Auditors report (item 4 on the Agenda of this meeting). In accordance with the Council’s constitution the Audit and Governance Committee are required to undertake this function.
Prior to presenting his report, the Assistant Director of Finance and Strategy gave a power point presentation to the committee explaining the process, content and update of the Statement of Accounts, together with a timetable of when statements of accounts are expected to be received by the Audit and Governance Committee.
Members considered the report and appendices.
A Councillor commented on the timescale members had in which to read documents of this nature in detail once received and wanted this brought to the Chair’s attention. The tight timescale was known and had been approved by the Chair. The Executive Director for Finance (s151 Officer) confirmed that the statement of accounts had been pre-published on the Council’s website. The Chair responded that a valid point had been made but these are highly unusual circumstances and it is a monumental task to complete these 6 audits. As a Committee, we need to act collaboratively with advisors and officers and trust and rely on the professionals, as appropriate. In future, it is fully expected that draft accounts would be issued to members of the Committee in advance of the published committee reports, once available on the Council’s website.
Another Councillor responded that developing a training programme to assist with the detail within accounts would assist some members of the committee going forward in discharging their responsibilities.
There were three recommendations in the report. The Chair requested that these be voted on separately.
The recommendation contained in the report to approve the draft Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2020/21 for Kettering Borough Council subject to the conclusion of the audit and that there are no material adjustments that impact on the Council’s usable reserves, was duly MOVED by Councillor Ian Jelley and SECONDED by Councillor Russell Roberts. On being put to the vote this was carried.
RESOLVED that:-
(i) Approve the draft Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2020/21 for Kettering Borough Council subject to the conclusion of the audit and that there are no material adjustments that impact on the Council’s usable reserves.
The recommendation contained in the report to approve any non-material adjustments required to the draft Statement of Accounts in relation to Kettering Borough Council be delegated to the Councils Executive Director of Finance (s151 Officer), in consultation with the Chair of the Audit & Governance Committee, was duly MOVED by Councillor Russell Roberts and SECONDED by Councillor Matt Binley. On being put to the vote this was carried.
RESOLVED that:-
(ii) Any non-material adjustments required to the draft Statement of Accounts in relation to Kettering Borough Council are delegated to the Councils Executive Director of Finance (s151 Officer), in consultation with the Chair of the Audit & Governance Committee.
The recommendation contained in the report to note the draft Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2020/2021 for the Borough Council of Wellingborough, was duly MOVED by Councillor Richard Levell and SECONDED by Councillor Russell Roberts. On being put to the vote this was carried.
RESOLVED that:-
(iii) To note the draft Statement of Accounts for the financial year 2020/21 for the Borough Council of Wellingborough.