The Council’s accounts for 2017/18 are currently unable to be signed off by the Auditor General for Wales due to an ongoing Gwent Police investigation into potential governance and financial irregularities.
It must be emphasised that this is no reflection on the Council’s financial management and budget planning which is extremely robust, but relates to one specific area, our arrangements with Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd. The 2016/17 accounts are also not signed off for the same reason.
At the meeting Audit Committee members voted unanimously not to approve the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2017/18.
The decision was made following confirmation from the Wales Audit Office and the Council’s Chief Officer for Resources that they were unable to sign off the accounts due to the ongoing investigation.
It was confirmed by the Wales Audit Office in the meeting that the only reason the Auditor General was unable to sign off the accounts related to an issue arising from the Council’s arrangements with Silent Valley Waste Services Ltd, and that the core financial statements fairly reflect the financial position of the Council.
The accounts will now be published by the 30th September deadline, accompanied by the required statutory declarations and, upon completion of the police investigation and subsequent conclusion of the audit, the accounts will be re-presented to the Committee for consideration and approval.
Please appreciate that we are unable to comment further at this time due to the ongoing investigation.