• Report by:

    Jamie Robertson, Chief Finance Officer

  • TN Number:

    112-25

  • Subject:

    Draft Accounts 2023/24 - Timeline

  • Responsible Officer:

    Jamie Robertson, Chief Finance Officer

  • Publication:

    This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.

  • The purpose of this technical note is to provide Members with an update on the Council’s Draft Annual Accounts which were required to be passed to the Auditors (Forvis Mazars) by the statutory deadline of the 30 June 2024. This is in accordance with requirements of Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014. This deadline was not achieved due to the lateness of the 2022/23 audit which has been subject of ongoing Reporting to Elected Members. This is now planned to be delivered by 10 July 2025. Officers continue to work closely with Forvis Mazars to move the delivery of Financial Statements back to the Statutory Timescale.
  • The Council’s Chief Finance Officer will sign the required ‘Statement of Responsibilities’ and the balance sheet as required by law. These are signed on the basis that the statement reflects the Proper Officer’s accountabilities with the balance sheet providing a true and fair view of the financial position and transactions of the local authority and its group at the end of the financial year.
  • Furthermore, the Council will publish a copy of the Annual Accounts submitted to the auditor, clearly identified as an unaudited version, on the council website from the date they are submitted until the date on which the audited Annual Accounts are published.
  • The Council’s Audit & Risk Management Committee will meet on 18 September 2025 to consider the unaudited Annual Accounts as submitted to the auditor.