Annual Report 2001~ 2002 - Belfast Education & Library Board

REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF THE BELFAST EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARDWe certify that we have audited the financial statements on pages 9 to 34 which have been prepared in a formdirected by the Departments with the consent of the Department of Finance and Personnel.These financial statements have been prepared under the modified historic cost convention and the accountingpolicies set out on pages 13 to 16.RESPECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND AUDITORSAs described on page 7 the Chief Executive is responsible for the preparation of financial statements and forensuring the regularity of financial transactions. It is our responsibility to form an independent opinion, basedon our audit, on those statements and on the regularity of the financial transactions included in them and toreport our opinion to you.BASIS OF OPINIONWe conducted our audit in accordance with Auditing Standards issued by the Auditing Practices Board. Theaudit includes examination, on a test basis, of evidence relevant to the amounts, disclosures and regularity offinancial transactions included in the financial statements. It also includes an assessment of the significantestimates and judgements made by the Chief Executive in the preparation of the financial statements, and ofwhether the accounting policies are appropriate to the Belfast Education and Library Board’s circumstances,consistently applied and adequately disclosed.We planned and performed our audit so as to obtain all the information and explanations which we considerednecessary to provide us with sufficient evidence that the financial statements are free from material misstatement,whether caused by error, or by fraud or other irregularity and that, in all material respects, the expenditureand income have been applied to the purposes intended by Parliament and the financial transactionsconform to the authorities which govern them. In forming our opinion we also evaluated the overall adequacyof the presentation of information in the financial statements.OPINIONIn our opinion:■ The financial statements give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Belfast Education and LibraryBoard as at 31 March 2002 and of the deficit, total recognised gains and losses and cash flows for the yearthen ended and have been properly prepared in accordance with Article 119 (2) of the Education andLibraries (N.I.) Order 1986 and directions made thereunder by the Departments.■ In all material respects the expenditure and income have been applied to the purposes intended by parliamentand the financial transactions conform to the authorities which govern them.Comptroller and Auditor General - N.I. Audit Office Date38 Annual Report 2001~ 2002