Statement of Accounts for the Council

Annual Accounts

At the end of each financial year, we prepare a Statement of Accounts. This provides information about our expenditure and income and our financial standing.

The Statement of Accounts is a formal document complying with the accounting regulations which all local authorities must meet. Independent auditors examine our accounts to ensure that they present our financial position fairly. 

The Council's financial year ends on 31st March and our statutory Chief Finance Officer (the Head of Finance & Revenues) signs a draft Statement of Accounts. Members of the public are able to examine the draft Accounts and ask questions of an independent auditor.  We are required to publish our audited accounts by 30th September 2024. The National Audit Office's Local Audit Code and Guidance team has day to day responsibility for the way in which local auditors fulfil their statutory responsibilities.  The National Audit Office explains how the public can inspect, question and challenge council’s accounts on their Council Accounts - A Guide to your rights webpage. 

Our independent auditors are Ernst & Young LLP of Grosvenor House, Grosvenor Square, Southampton SO15 2BE.

STATUTORY NOTICE

AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS 2023/24

Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 Regulations 14 – 15

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, sections 25 – 27

The Council’s accounts are subject to external audit by Ernst & Young LLP of Grosvenor House, Grosvenor Square, Southampton SO15 2BE.

  • From Thursday 1st August to Wednesday 11th September 2024 between 9am and 4pm any person may inspect at the address given below the accounting records of the Council for the year ended 31st March 2024 and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. They may also make copies of all or any part of those records or documents.
  • Application should be made initially via email to Finance@testvalley.gov.uk or in writing to the Head of Finance & Revenues at the address given below. Documents requested will be emailed to the applicant, or otherwise made available for inspection by arrangement.
  • A person is not entitled to inspect or copy any part of any record or document containing information which is personal information or is protected on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.
  • From Thursday 1st August to Wednesday 11th September 2024, 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 at the address given above to make arrangements to ask any questions.
  • From Thursday 1st August to Wednesday 11th September 2024, a local government elector for the area of the Council, or his/her representative, may object to the Council’s accounts asking the auditor to issue a report in the public interest and/or apply to the court for a declaration that an item in the accounts is unlawful. Written notice of a proposed objection and the grounds on which it is made must be sent to the auditor at the address given above and copied to the Council’s Chief Finance Officer at the address given below.
  • From Thursday 1st August 2024, the 2023/24 Statement of Accounts publication will be available for download from this page on the Council’s website.

AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS 2022/23

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, sections 25 – 27

Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 Regulations 14 – 15

The Council has published its Statement of Accounts for 2022/23, subject to audit and its Annual Governance Statement.

The Council’s accounts are subject to external audit by Ernst & Young LLP of Grosvenor House, Grosvenor Square, Southampton SO15 2BE.

The external audit of the draft Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2023 has not yet been completed by our external auditors due to a range of factors contributing to audit delays across the sector. 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 2022/23 final Statement of Accounts in line with the deadline of 30th September 2023, as per paragraph (1). Upon completion of the audit, the Audit Committee will consider and approve the results of the 2022/23 audit, after which we will publish the final audited accounts.

 By publishing this notice and the 2022/23 Audit letter, the Council are able to comply with this statutory requirement.

 

Carl Whatley

Head of Finance and Revenues

Test Valley Borough Council

Beech Hurst

Weyhill Road

Andover

Hampshire

SP10 3AJ