Agenda item

The Chair thanked the Audit Manager, Audit Commission, Catherine Banks for her attendance and asked her to take Members through the Audit Commission’s Audit Opinion Plan for the Central Durham Crematorium Joint Committee (for copy, see file of minutes).

The Audit Manager explained that the Audit Opinion Plan sets out a list of identified specific risks which were areas the Audit Commission would expect the Joint Committee to address.  Members were asked to note that within those risks identified, none were categorised as being “significant” the highest level of risk.

The Joint Committee learnt that risks as identified in the audit previously conducted had led to a series of responses to address those concerns and in several cases mitigated the risks.  The Audit Manager reminded Members that the accounting for the Crematorium was now Statement of Recommended Practise (SORP) compliant and that accounting policies had been produced reflecting this.  Members were also informed that detailed testing had been carried out in order to ensure correct opening balances and that the errors in the valuing of fixed assets identified within the previous audit had been amended. 

The Audit Manager stated that arrangements would be made to undertake detailed testing to ensure that creditors or expenditure were not materially misstated.  Members noted that the Audit Commission and the Head of Finance, HR and Business Support, Neighbourhood Services, Paul Darby were working together to address issues of treasury management including having a written agreement between Durham County Council and the Joint Committee setting out the terms of the treasury management agreements. 

The Audit Manger concluded by noting that there had been work on the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) in order that it would comply with requirements and added that it was encouraging to see that those improvements were reflected in the AGS as set out in the agenda papers.

Resolved:

That the report be noted.