After the end of each financial year, the Council has to publish a formal set of accounts. This includes:
- a narrative report
- a statement of its income and expenditure for the year
- a statement showing the value of its assets at the end of the year
- a statement showing the movement in its cash balances
The Statement of Accounts have been compiled in accordance with the Local Authority Accounting Code of Practice in force at the time. The Statement of Accounts are subject to independent audit by an auditor appointed by Public Sector Appointments Limited from 1 April 2015, or the Audit Commission prior to 31 March 2015.
Notice of delay in publication of unaudited 2024/2025 statement of accounts and in the commencement of the public inspection period
Under Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the council is required to publish its draft annual Statement of Accounts by 31 May each year.
Under section 26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, any persons interested have a right to inspect the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. Regulations 14 and 15 of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (as amended) require that this right (and associated rights) are exercisable over a single period of 30 working days, commencing no later than 1st June 2023.
If this deadline cannot be met, the council is required to publish a notice of delay.
Notice is given that:
- The Council has not yet published the draft Statement of Accounts for 2024/25 and commenced the period for the exercise of public inspection.
- The Council will publish a draft set of accounts as soon as reasonably practicable, following which the period for the exercise of public inspection will commence. The council has been unable to meet this requirement due to delays in preparing and finalising the Statement of Accounts for 2024/2025.
A further notice will be published in due course setting out the public inspection period as soon as the draft 2024/25 Statement of Accounts have been finalised.
2025/26
2024/25
2023/24
On 18 February 2025 the auditors, Grant Thornton UK LLP, provided their opinion on the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2023/2024 (including consolidated accounts) which is included within the published document below.
The audit, however, has not yet concluded. The notice of conclusion and the audit certificate will be published as soon as they are issued.
