Covering the 2024/25 financial year, the latest audit opinion and value for money report from the council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, provides an independent assessment of the progress made as the council delivers its financial recovery plan alongside areas of weakness that are being addressed.
This follows their 2023/24 report, originally identifying nine significant weaknesses in the council’s financial control, governance and decision making - while giving credit to the new political administration and leadership team for starting to move the council forward through a programme of improvement.
Despite the significant financial, capacity and governance challenges the council continues to face, this year’s report has now reduced these weaknesses and associated key recommendations to six – demonstrating the positive progress made over the last year.
Key points from the report include Grant Thornton recognising the:
- open and transparent approach by the council’s officers and political leadership about the challenges - with rapid progress being made to establish corporate grip and align the organisation behind its improvement and recovery.
- effective action taken to resolve historical accounting errors and clarify the council’s financial position - using external support to present a credible case for government support.
- progress made to re-build the council’s capacity and support effective financial management - including establishing a Financial Improvement and Sustainability Plan (FISP) and a Financial Improvement and Sustainability Board (FISB).
- stronger financial leadership helping increase the pace of improvement – leading to government being encouraged by the progress being made and not intervening more formally.
The council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Lynne Jones, said: “This independent report shows our hard work, to grip the financial situation we inherited, is starting to pay off. While it’s not been easy, it’s clear our plan is working, and we are heading in the right direction – with clear evidence to back that progress up.
“However, we aren’t complacent, we continue to face significant financial challenges and we need to keep going – including continuing to put our case to government on necessary support for the future, so we are able to deliver the services that are important to our residents.”