Advertising accounts inspection 2020/21
SOUTH DERBYSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL
AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Notice of the delay in completion of the audit of 2020-21 statement of accounts
The external audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2021 has not yet been completed by our external auditors, EY LLP, due to the audit being rescheduled.
This situation is allowed for by Regulation 10, paragraph (2a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. (See attached link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/234/regulation/10/made).
Therefore, this notification explains, as per paragraph (2a), that we are not yet able to publish our audited 2020/21 final statement of accounts in line with deadline of 30th September 2021, as per paragraph (1).
The Audit Sub-committee will consider the results of the 2020/21 audit at its meeting on 8 December 2021 after which we will publish the final audited accounts.
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014: Sections 26, 27 and 28
The Accounts and Audit (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 Regulations 9, 14, and 15
2020/21 Statement of Accounts
In response to an unprecedented situation across the UK relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government has introduced The Accounts and Audit (Coronavirus) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. These regulations provide authorities additional time to complete the audit given the impact of the reduced availability of local authority staff and external auditors due to sickness and redeployment as a result of COVID-19. These Regulations only apply to the Statement of Accounts in relation to the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years.
The deadline to publish the Council’s unaudited accounts has been moved from 31 May 2021 to 31 July 2021, with the deadline for publishing the audited statements being moved from 31 July 2021 to 30 September 2021.
The Council’s draft accounts and financial statements for audit will be available on the Council’s website from 30 July 2021 at
https://www.southderbyshire.gov.uk/about-us/spending-and-budgets
The Council’s accounts are subject to external audit by Ernst and Young LLP of 1 Colmore Square, Birmingham, B4 6HQ. Members of the public and local government electors have certain rights in the audit process, and these are set out below:
- From 2 August to 13 September 2021 on weekdays between 8.30am and 5pm (4.30pm on Fridays) any person may inspect the accounts of the Council for the year ended 31 March 2021 and certain related documents (comprising books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts) at the address given below. They may also make copies of the accounts and documents.
- During this period, a local government elector for the area of the Council, or his/her representative, may ask the auditor questions about the accounts. Please contact the Auditor, Helen Henshaw at the address given above to ask any questions.
- In addition, during this period, a local government elector for the area of the Council, or his/her representative, may object to the Council’s accounts. Any objection should be in writing to the Auditor, with a copy to me at the address below. The objection must state:
- The facts on which the local government elector relies.
- The grounds on which the objection is being made.
- So far as is possible particulars of:
- Any item of account which is alleged to be contrary to law, and
- Any matter in respect of which it is proposed that the Auditor could make a public interest report under Section 24 of, and paragraph 1 of Schedule 7, to the Act.
F.B. McArdle
Chief Executive
South Derbyshire District Council
Civic Offices,
Civic Way,
Swadlincote,
Derbyshire,
DE11 0AH