Contact: Paul Carey-Kent, Deputy Treasurer, 01962 847525

1 Introduction

1.1 The Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996 require the Statement of Accounts to be signed by the Chief Financial Officer and approved by the Authority within six months of the end of the financial year, before an audit opinion will be given.

1.2 The draft Statement is attached as the appendix, for approval. It is consistent with the figures in the final accounts for 2001/02 reported to the Finance and General Purposes Committee on 10 July 2002.

2 Statement of Accounts

2.1 The form of the Statement of Accounts is prescribed by a Code of Practice which constitutes proper accounting practice as required by Section 66 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The Code is updated each year to take account of the changes in accounting standards. From 2002/03 there will be a new requirement to include an internal control statement. This requirement is seen as good practice and has therefore been included in the Statement of Accounts for 2001/02 and was included in the Final Accounts 2001/02 report to the Finance and General Purposes Committee on 10 July 2002.

2.2 Copies of the document will be sent to Members once the external audit certificate has been obtained.

3 European Convention on Human Rights

3.1 The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, and considered in the light of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

4 Recommendations

4.1 The Authority is asked to approve the attached draft Statement of Accounts. After final editing, the Statement will be published, once the external audit opinion has been obtained, which cannot be given in advance of the Authority's approval.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB the list excludes:

1. Published works.

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

TITLE FILE

Fire - Statement of Accounts 2001/02