Meeting documents

To consider the work plan and agree agenda items for future meetings.

The Chair invited contributions and the Director of Finance noted that as the accounting reporting period had changed the Statement of Accounts would not be completed in time for the next scheduled meeting. He suggested that the Statement of Accounts be presented to the November meeting and Members accepted his proposal.

He then suggested that the 2 remaining agenda items for the August meeting (Risk Management update and Debtor Management update) could be considered at the September meeting. Members accepted this proposal and therefore agreed to cancel the August meeting.

It was requested if there could be information provided on the transparency code and the Director of Finance agreed to prepare a report for a future meeting.

There was a brief discussion about the role of audit during the forthcoming period of local government reorganisation in Somerset as the current Councils were to be abolished and a new unitary authority would exist from May 2023. The Director of Finance thought it would be important for the Committee to remain vigilant and continue to seek assurances and maintain its current approach to audit work. He noted that all of the Councils in Somerset used SWAP as internal auditors and that in 2023 the Council was due to reappoint its external auditors. He also noted that the existing Councils used different accounting systems and the transitional arrangements would contain workstreams to ensure the new Council would run smoothly and the new members elected in the May 2022 elections would have an important role in oversight of that process. 

The Chair invited contributions and the Director of Finance noted that as the accounting reporting period had changed the Statement of Accounts would not be completed in time for the next scheduled meeting. He suggested that the Statement of Accounts be presented to the November meeting and Members accepted his proposal.

Mr Vaughan then suggested that the 2 remaining agenda items for the August meeting (Risk Management update and Debtor Management update) could be considered at the September meeting. Members accepted this proposal and therefore agreed to cancel the August meeting.

It was requested if there could be information provided on the transparency code and the Director of Finance agreed to prepare a report for a future meeting.

There was a brief discussion about the role of audit during the forthcoming period of local government reorganisation in Somerset as the current Councils were to be abolished and a new unitary authority would exist from May 2023. The Director of Finance thought it would be important for the Committee to remain vigilant and continue to seek assurances and maintain its current approach to audit work. He noted that all of the Councils in Somerset used SWAP as internal auditors and that in 2023 the Council was due to reappoint its external auditors. He also noted that the existing Councils used different accounting systems and the transitional arrangements would contain workstreams to ensure the new Council would run smoothly and the new members elected in the May 2022 elections would have an important role in oversight of that process.