Issue - meetings

Grant Thornton is the appointed external auditor for the West of England Combined Authority. Their audit plans, progress on delivery, key findings and recommendations and scale of fees are reported periodically to the audit committee.

The Committee received a report from Grant Thornton, the Authority’s external auditors, setting out the progress on delivery, key findings and recommendations and scale of fees.  The following had been appended:

Appendix 1 – progress report and sector update;

Appendix 2 – fees letter 2019/20;

Appendix 3 – IAS 240 letter and Audit Chair response.

A fuller briefing was given at the meeting.

The following points were raised during the debate:

• A query was raised in respect in response to Q20 regarding possible litigation or claims that may affect the financial statements, specifically 20 NHS foundation trusts’ claiming charitable relief from 49 local authorities, including B&NES.  The LGA were confident that the chances of the claim being successful were low.  No financial provision had been included in the accounts.  An outcome was expected before the end of the year.  It was expected that the Government would have to intervene were the claims successful.

Agreed: That the updates from the external auditor be noted.

Grant Thornton is the appointed external auditor for the West of England Combined Authority. Their audit plans, progress on delivery, key findings and recommendations and scale of fees are reported periodically to the audit committee.