Agenda item

Consider report by Acting Chief Financial Officer on various entities’ audited Annual Reports and Accounts for the year to 31 March 2021 for review and scrutiny prior to Council approval.  (Copy attached.)

5.1       With reference to paragraph 10 of the Minute of the Meeting held on 27 June 2022, there had been circulated copies of a report by Acting Chief Financial Officer that presented Members with copies of the Council’s audited Annual Accounts for 2021-22.  The audit appointment of Audit Scotland for Scottish Borders Council (SBC) accounts included the requirement to provide an auditor's report for the Council as well as related charities.  KPMG had continued to provide the external audit of the Council subsidiary Bridge Homes.  2021-22 represented the sixth year of Audit Scotland undertaking of the External Audit of the Council’s Annual Accounts with the process completed.  As required under the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014, the audited Annual Accounts for Scottish Borders Council, SBC Pension Fund, SBC Common Good Funds, the SBC Charitable Trusts, Bridge Homes LLP and Lowood Tweedbank Ltd were being presented to the Audit Committee prior to signature.  KPMG had concluded their audit of Bridge Homes LLP and had raised no issues or matters to report.

5.2       Mr Haseeb highlighted minor changes since the report had been circulated with the agenda which officers had corrected related to typing errors in the contents page, name of the committee and in notes to the accounts.  The Chair highlighted that a playpark that was noted as having opened in St Boswells had in fact been opened in Newtown St Boswells.  The Acting Chief Financial Officer advised that the changes would be made before the accounts were signed.   The Acting Chief Financial Officer summarised the report and responded to questions from members.  Ms Woolman advised that Councils did not have guidance for what level of percentage should aim for in Reserves to cover risk.  The Acting Chief Executive advised that most local authorities aimed for 2-4% of net expenditure as an allocated contingency balance and that Scottish Borders Council sat at just over 2%.  Mr Whitfield highlighted a typing error on page 70 of the report with regards to the comparative years which the Acting Chief Financial Officer confirmed would be corrected prior to signing of the accounts.

DECISION

(a)       AGREED to recommend the following accounts for officer signature and Council approval:

(i)        the Scottish Borders Council’s audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(ii)       the Scottish Borders Council’s Pension Fund audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(iii)      the Scottish Borders Council Common Good Funds (Charity SC031538) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(iv)      the SBC Welfare Trust (Charity SC044765) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(v)       the SBC Education Trust (Charity SC044762) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(vi)      the SBC Community Enhancement Trust (Charity SC044764) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(vii)    the SBC Ormiston Trust for Institute (Charity SC019162) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(viii)   the Scottish Borders Council Charitable Trusts (Charity SC043896) audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022;

(ix)      the Bridge Homes LLP audited Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022; and,

(x)       Lowood Tweedbank Ltd Annual Accounts for the year to 31 March 2022,

(b)       AGREED to address typing errors in the Report before presented to Scottish Borders Council.