Issue - meetings

(Report of the Chief Financial Officer)  To present the statutory Annual Governance Report of Grant Thornton which reports on their annual audit of the Council’s statutory accounts, Value for Money and other relevant information.

TO FOLLOW

The committee was presented with the statutory Annual Governance Report of Grant Thornton, which reported on the annual audit of the Council’s statutory accounts, value for money and other relevant information.  Representatives from the Auditors presented their findings to the committee, stating that they expected an unqualified opinion on the accounts to be given.

With regards to the issue of the Alexandra Palace Trust, the Auditors stated that the controls the Council had instigated over the Trust were of a sufficiently temporary nature not to adversely affect the Council’s long-term financial position.  The Auditors were satisfied that sufficient test of control had been applied, and that action was being undertaken to address past weaknesses.  They also stated that they would be formally writing to the Council on this issue in due course.  Nonetheless, some Members of the committee stated their unhappiness with regards the stated position towards Alexandra Palace.

Members sought clarification on matters relating to the Local Area Agreement Grant, and were informed that although specific arrangement had yet to be put in place with regard to it, Officers were confident that it would ultimately be overseen by a robust management arrangement.

Members noted that the Bernie Grant Centre Partnership accounts, although not strictly a part of the Council, were due to be made available in due course.

RESOLVED:

1. That the recommendations of the report be agreed.

2. That Councillors Aitken, Bloch and Whyte note their unhappiness about the information within the report relating to Alexandra Palace.