Council's Annual Report 2015-16 ticked off

South Waikato District Council's external auditor Deloitte presented Council's Annual Report 2015-16 audit on Thursday. Council was provided a clean audit report with some minor improvements noted.

"It is always encouraging when Council receives a good audit report," said Audit and Risk Committee Chairperson, Glenn Snelgrove. "The audit report noted a few minor matters for attention; but overall this is a sound audit report that reflects Council's business is undertaken appropriately. As Chair I would like to see the minor points resolved next year and a project plan put in place to streamline the process."

Mayor Neil Sinclair, who is standing down from Council after four terms was again pleased with the good audit report saying, "In all the years I have been Mayor, Council has always received a sound audit report. This gives us as elected members, surety of our financial state and that staff are following the law and acting appropriately."

Mayor Sinclair paid tribute to the staff involved in producing the report.

Auditors reviewed all aspects of the Annual Report. Key areas included reviewing the revaluation of infrastructural assets, ensuring that our rates are set through sound processes and at appropriate levels, ensuring that sensitive expenditure has appropriate controls, ensuring policies and legislative compliance, check that our delegations policy has enough detail, our purchasing systems are sound and that Council has reliable IT controls in place.

Chairperson Mr Snelgrove opened the meeting briefly to members of the public, asking for queries on the audit report that the auditors could clarify for them. It was extremely encouraging that no queries resulted.

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