Agenda item

To present the report of Audit Wales.

The report of Audit Wales summarising the work completed by Audit Wales since the last Annual Audit Summary in 2021 was presented for the Committee’s information. The summary forms part of the Auditor General for Wales’ duties encompassing continuous improvement; audit of accounts; value for money and the sustainable development principle.

Yvonne Thomas, Audit Wales Financial Audit Manager provided an overview of the financial audit work undertaken during the period confirming that the Auditor General gave an unqualified true and fair opinion on the Council’s financial statements on 31 January, 2023. The Auditor General also has responsibility for the certification of a number of grant claims. The audit of the Teachers’ Pension and Non-Domestic Rates returns have by now been completed. The 2019-20 Housing Benefit Subsidy was certified on 22 December, 2022 and significant progress has now been made on auditing the 2020-21 Housing Benefits Subsidy.

Alan Hughes, Audit Wales’ Performance Lead referred to work carried out to review the Council’s value for money arrangements which focused on aspects relating to the Local Government and Elections Act (Wales) 2021 and Carbon reduction plans. During 2021-22 work to examine how councils are strengthening their ability to transform, adapt and maintain the delivery of services was undertaken with the focus on Anglesey on the Council’s strategic management of its assets and workforce through the Springing Forward review. Also reviewed was the Council’s progress to accurate processing and timely certification of the Housing Benefit Subsidy claim. With the exception of the Local Government and Elections Act (Wales) 2021 Letter, the findings of the review work and the Council’s response to them have been reported to the Governance and Audit Committee and an update on the outstanding item will be provided in due course. In addition to local work at each council, studies across the local government sector are carried out in order to make recommendations for improving value for money with councils expected to consider those recommendations and apply them where relevant; the studies published since the last annual improvement report are set out in the report.

In considering the audit summary report the Committee raised the following points specifically in relation to the statement of key facts –

·      Clarification of the second key fact wherein it was stated that the Isle of Anglesey County Council has 2.3% of its 44 areas considered to be within the most deprived 10% of areas in Wales.

·      The potential impact of a declining population – the Island’s population being projected to decrease by 1% between 2020 and 2040 – on service planning and provision.

·      Recognition that a predicted 23% increase in the  number of people aged 65 or over is likely to pose a challenge for local authority service provision

The Committee was advised that the Isle of Anglesey Local Authority has 44 “areas”, also referred to as Lower layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs). One of the 44 LSOAs in Anglesey is within the most deprived 10% of areas in Wales which equates to 2.3%. It was confirmed that the figures are based on the best available information and that population numbers do fluctuate and are influenced by a number of factors and events including economic prosperity which in turn have a bearing on migration.

It was resolved to note the Annual Audit Summary 2022.