Blaenau Gwent Borough Council Annual Accounts

The request was successful.

Dear Wales Audit Office,

Please can you tell me the current position with the Blaenau Gwent Borough Council's Annual Accounts. I understand there are to be no court proceedings and wish to know if you have concluded your investigation as I wish to view said accounts online.
I regard this as a freedom of information question and would like acknowledgement of receipt from you please.
I fully understand the current lockdown restrictions and I am willing to accept a little extra time for your answer.

Yours faithfully,

Bryan Boots

Dear Wales Audit Office,

I sent you a freedom of information question, which you should have replied to by 07 December 2020.
Please give me a reason for your delay and when I can expect a response.
Providing a response is forthcoming I'll delay my opinions to the commissioner.

Yours faithfully,

Bryan Boots

Information Officer, Wales Audit Office

Dear Mr Boots

Apologies for the delay. I regret that we cannot trace your original email, as we did not receive your initial request, this is why we haven’t responded.

Your request for information will be considered in accordance with the procedures set out on the Audit Wales website at: http://www.audit.wales/openness-and-tran....

In the meantime, if you have any queries, you are welcome to contact me.

Yours sincerely,
Yazmin

Yazmin Steelandt-Humphries  
Y Gyfraith a moeseg || Law & Ethics
Ffôn || Tel: 02920 320514
www.archwilio.cymru || www.audit.wales

show quoted sections

Information Officer, Wales Audit Office

Dear Mr Boots

I am writing in response to your request for information in which you requested information regarding Blaenau Gwent Borough Council's Annual Accounts.

I can confirm that the Auditor General for Wales (Auditor General) has given audit opinions on the accounts of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council for the financial years 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019. The audit of the Council’s 2019-20 accounts is ongoing.

The Auditor General has qualified his opinions on the Council’s 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 accounts due to concerns over the lawfulness of pension contributions paid by the Council to the Local Government Scheme. The pension contributions related to the roles undertaken by two Council officers as directors of Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd (Silent Valley), a company wholly owned by the Council. The Auditor General has given an unqualified opinion on the Council’s 2018-2019 accounts.

Whilst the Auditor General’s auditors have completed sufficient audit work to enable the Auditor General to give audit opinions on the Council’s 2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019 accounts, the audit for these years have not been completed and will not be certified as complete until all audit work has been completed, and if necessary reported on. The Auditor General’s auditors are continuing to examine matters relating to the Council’s relationship with Silent Valley. However, before giving his opinions on the Council’s accounts, the Auditor General satisfied himself that the outcome of any outstanding audit work did not have the potential to further affect the opinions he was proposing to give.

As regards the availability of the Council’s audited accounts for 2016-17 to 2018-19, I understand that these will be available on the Council’s website shortly.

If you have any queries, or questions about my handling of your request, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Yazmin Steelandt-Humphries  
Y Gyfraith a moeseg || Law & Ethics
Ffôn || Tel: 02920 320514
www.archwilio.cymru || www.audit.wales

show quoted sections

Dear Information Officer,
I'm perfectly happy with the response

Yours sincerely,

Bryan Boots