The authority’s leader has said work has already started to address the issues raised in the External Auditor’s Annual Report (AAR) for 2021/22 and 2022/23.
The report said the council needs to “urgently address its significant weaknesses” in complying with required Housing Revenue Account (HRA) obligations.
Actions include addressing breaches to statutory responsibilities concerning tenant health and safety and ensuring non-compliance is reported to the Regulator for Social Housing.
The council also needs to improve its financial planning and financial monitoring arrangements.
The report said: “The lack of financial planning and monitoring in both years meant the council could not deliver an efficient budget in 2021/22 or 2022/23 which impacted on its financial sustainability and on governance – as a result it also failed to meet statutory financial statement audit deadlines.”
Cabinet and Audit and Governance committee members will attend a joint meeting on Wednesday to discuss the report and the council’s response. A revised internal audit plan for 2023/24 will then be considered at an additional Audit and Governance Committee meeting.
The report to Wednesday’s joint meeting…
