Archived decisions

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

15/03/2005Finance and General Purposes Committee Item 5

26 April 2007

Error! Bookmark not defined.Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2006/07

Report by the Chief Officer

Contact: David Howells, Director of Corporate Services, telephone: 02380 626835

Summary

Attached is the Audit Commission's Annual Audit and Inspection Letter to the Authority for 2006/07 as Appendix A (for Members of the Committee only). The Authority's external auditors will be at the meeting to formally present the Letter and to answer any questions Members may have.

This year the Letter takes into account the outcomes of the Fire and Rescue Performance Assessment 2006/07 including:

_ Operational (Service) Assessment - in which the Service was assessed to be `performing strongly'

_ Use of Resources - in which the Authority was assessed as `performing well' (note: full report is also on this meeting's agenda)

_ Direction of Travel - in which the Authority was assessed as `improving well'

The auditor has given an `unqualified opinion' on the Authority's accounts and value for money.

Overall, this is a very positive Letter and the Authority can be justifiably proud. Work is already underway in determining the actions that can be taken to positively address areas for further improvement. Some aspects of the Letter (arising from the Use of Resources Assessment) will be considered by the Governance Committee at its meeting on 30 April 2007 - particularly the comments regarding the need for member involvement in producing the annual Statement of Internal Control and the Committee's general independence will be discussed (see paragraph 41 of the Letter).

The Letter is available electronically on our website.

RecommendationError! Bookmark not defined.

That the Audit Commission's Annual Audit and Inspection Letter 2006/07 be received and noted.

Equality Impact Assessment

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

Background Information (Section 100D of Local Government Act 1972)

The following documents disclose the 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 the report:

_ Audit Commission - Annual Audit and Inspection Letter to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority - March 2007

Note: The list excludes: (1) published works; and (2) documents that disclose exempt or confidential information defined in the Act.