Issue - meetings

To receive the final Auditor's Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2025 from the Council’s external auditors following the conclusion of their work on these accounts.

Further to earlier updates, the Council’s appointed external auditors, Forvis Mazars, had fully concluded their work on the Statement of Accounts 2024/25. Forvis Mazars has published its Annual Audit Report for the year ended 31 March 2025 which was presented to Members.

It was stated that it was pleasing to report that the auditors had issued an unqualified audit opinion on the 2024/25 accounts and that the accounts and audit process was fully completed inside of statutory deadlines. As reported previously, officers were responding to the auditors’ internal control recommendations, with the aim of resolving in time for preparing the 2025/26 accounts.

In terms of the auditors’ Value for Money conclusion on whether the Council had made proper arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources, it was again pleasing to note that the auditors had not identified any significant weaknesses in the Council’s arrangements that would require it to make a recommendation.