10 Outturn Report 2018/19 PDF 372 KB
To consider the Outturn
Report for 2018/19.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The
committee received a report which contained financial performance and position
information for Dorset Council’s six predecessor authorities for the year ended
31 March 2019. The report summarised the
performance against budget and the impact this had had on each council’s
closing position. It also set out the
impact of the outturn and other relevant events on general balances, other
reserves and the financial position transferring to Dorset Council on 1 April
2019.
In
addition, the report described work in progress to transition the six sovereign
councils’ financial positions into a single system and a target date for
achieving this.
A
presentation was provided at the meeting which outlined the key aspects of the
approval process.
Councillors
considered the issues arising from the report and presentation and during
discussion the following points were raised:
·
The Executive Director of Corporate Development provided an update on
staffing relevant to the Finance area and paid tribute to officers for the work
they had done in preparing the accounts for the former Councils
·
Councillor Peter Wharf attended the committee in the absence of the
Finance, Commercial and Assets Portfolio Holder
·
The role of the Audit and Governance Committee was to seek assurance
that the organisation had a proportionate and appropriate level of governance
in place for the preparation of the accounts, which included an internal and
external audit process. At the meeting,
councillors had the opportunity to ask questions of the auditor before a
decision was taken to sign off the accounts
·
There were a number of qualifications from the External Auditor in some
of the accounts and the committee had to make a judgement as to how the
recommendations would be taken forward.
It was noted that not all accounts could be signed off at this meeting
as there were elements of audit work to be completed
·
Feedback was also sought from the committee with regard to the process
generally and the information required by councillors, which would feed into
next year’s process
·
A question was asked with regard to the transfer of reserves from the
former Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to Weymouth Town Council. In response it was confirmed that a number of
reserves had been shared with the town council and that the Shadow Executive
Committee had agreed to transfer £0.5m to the town council. Some general funding had been set aside for
the setting up of the town council with some additional funding earmarked for
specific items
·
A similar point was raised with regard to Portland Town Council and this
would be picked up following the meeting
·
In respect of the External Audit report for Dorset County Council, the
External Auditor had concluded that expenditure had not been materially
mis-stated
·
A discussion was held with regard to the figures given in the External
Audit report for academies and it was confirmed that the reports contained a
best estimate for deficits associated with academies. Evidence would need to be given to Cabinet in
respect of this
· Reference was made to ... view the full minutes text for item 10