Agenda and draft minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Roche and Spring.

Members are requested at a meeting where a disclosable pecuniary interest or personal interest arises, which is not already included in their Register of Members' Interests, todeclare any interests that relate to an item on the agenda.

Where a Member discloses a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest, he/she must withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest, except where he/she is permitted to remain as a result of a grant of a dispensation.

Where a Member discloses a personal interest he/she must seek advice from the Monitoring Officer or staff member representing the Monitoring Officer to determine whether the Member should withdraw from the meeting room, including from the public gallery, during the whole consideration of any item of business in which he/she has an interest or whether the Member can remain in the meeting or remain in the meeting and vote on the relevant decision.

No declarations of any disclosable pecuniary interests or personal interests were received.

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 September 2024 be confirmed as a correct record.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Services and Commercial

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Services and Commercial which presented the final audited Statement of Accounts for 2021/22 and 2022/23, including the updated Annual Governance Statements and also the Completion Report from Ernst & Young LLP (EY) for approval.

The proposed “Letter of Representation” document to be provided by Sefton Council to EY was attached for approval.

The Committee also heard updates from Sefton Council’s former (Ernst Young) external auditors.

The Committee discussed the following topics:

·       The delay in publishing the report prior to the meeting

·       Audit progress made on the 2022/2023 accounts

·       Committee Member changeover since the previous approval of the accounts in September 2023

·       Audit deadlines relating to approval of the accounts

·       The impact on the 2023/2024 Statement of Accounts

·       Minor Disclosure Items

Following discussion, the Committee agreed to adjourn the meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the meeting be adjourned, and the Committee re-convene on Thursday, 28 November 2024 at 3.00 p.m. at Bootle Town Hall.