17 March 2011 - Audit Scotland

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have regard to any national priorities and risks identified by Audit Scotlandrecognise that public bodies may operate and deliver services through partnershipsor other forms of joint working with other public, private or third sector bodies.Auditors have a right to information held by audited bodies, group entities and otherswhich may assist in reviewing such arrangementsseek to conduct audits as efficiently and effectively as possible. This should includediscussing with audited bodies how they can contribute to this, for example, throughtimely and effective production of working papers and information required for auditsand responding fully and promptly to requests for comments on draft audit outputscoordinate effectively with internal auditors, and any service auditor, and place asmuch reliance as practicable on their work. Audit Scotland assumes when settingindicative audit fee ranges that internal audit work is undertaken which auditors canplace reliance upon, in accordance with relevant auditing standards. All other thingsbeing equal, audited bodies with good governance arrangements and relevant highquality internal audit may be able to negotiate lower feeshave regard to the wider system of audit, inspection and regulation of public bodies,and establish effective coordination to make best use of overall scrutiny resources.Auditors should co-operate with other external auditors, other scrutiny bodies andAudit Scotland, and share information and intelligence, as required, to enableknowledge of good practice to be transferred across public bodies. Sharinginformation and intelligence is also important to consistency and maximising theoverall impact of scrutiny.31. The conclusion of the annual audit planning process should be document(s) setting out howauditors intend to meet their responsibilities, in the light of their assessment of risks. Theseshould be consistent with any shared assessment of risk undertaken with other scrutiny bodiesand any agreements to coordinate work. Audit plans should also provide for reviewing whetheraudited bodies have properly considered any matters that have been identified previously andwhether agreed actions have been implemented. For all but the smallest audits, auditors shoulddiscuss the audit plan, or a summary, with the audited body at an early stage. Plans should bereviewed throughout the audit and updated as necessary.11
Part 3. Financial statements and corporate governanceFinancial StatementsAudited bodies’ responsibilities32. Audited bodies’ financial statements are an essential part of accounting for their stewardshipof the resources made available to them and their performance in the use of those resources.Audited bodies are responsible for:ensuring the regularity of transactions, by putting in place systems of internal control toensure that they are in accordance with the appropriate authoritymaintaining proper accounting recordspreparing financial statements which give a true and fair view of their financial positionand their expenditure and income, in accordance with the relevant financial reportingframework (eg, the Financial Reporting Manual or an Accounting Code of Practice)preparing and publishing with their financial statements an annual governancestatement, statement on internal control or statement on internal financial control and aremuneration reportpreparing consolidation packs and, in larger bodies, preparing a whole of governmentaccounts return.33. Many audited bodies publish other information, such as an annual report, alongside thefinancial statements.34. Audited bodies should prepare financial statements in accordance with statutory timescales orin good time to allow audits to be completed by any dates specified by sponsoring directorates orother bodies (eg, the relevant Scottish Government Health Directorate for NHS bodies). Financialstatements should be prepared in accordance with all relevant regulatory requirements and besupported by accounting records and working papers prepared to an acceptable professionalstandard.Auditors’ responsibilities35. Auditors are required to audit financial statements in accordance with the timescales set byAudit Scotland, which may be shorter than statutory requirements, and give an opinion on:whether they give a true and fair view of the financial position of audited bodies and theirexpenditure and incomewhether they have been properly prepared in accordance with relevant legislation, theapplicable accounting framework and other reporting requirementsexcept for local government bodies, the regularity of the expenditure and income.36. Auditors should review and report on, as appropriate, other information published with thefinancial statements, including the directors’ report, annual governance statement, statement oninternal control or statement on internal financial control and the remuneration report.37. Where required, auditors should also review and report on the whole of government accountsreturn.38. In carrying out their responsibilities, auditors provide reasonable assurance, subject to theconcept of materiality, that financial statements:are free from misstatement, whether caused by fraud or other irregularity or errorcomply with statutory and other requirementscomply with relevant requirements for accounting presentation and disclosure.12
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The Accounts Commission for Scotlan
Page 3 and 4:
Minutes of the meeting of the Accou
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7. Update report by the Controller
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Following discussion, the Commissio
Page 9 and 10: 1. ApologiesApologies were received
Page 11 and 12: AGENDA ITEM 7Paper: AC.2011.3.3ACCO
Page 13 and 14: 15. As part of the debate on the 20
Page 15: 8. The Cabinet Secretary has welcom
Page 33 and 34: authority accounts. This serves to
Page 36 and 37: 6. The Commission is invited to—N
Page 40 and 41: Appendix 3Procedures for a hearing
Page 42 and 43: Appendix 4A ‘special’ report by
Page 44 and 45: Appendix 5The Commission’s consid
Page 46 and 47: so at a meeting of the authority wi
Page 48 and 49: Appendix 6Procedures for a hearing
Page 50 and 51: AGENDA ITEM 11Paper: AC.2011.3.9COD
Page 52 and 53: ForewordThe Code of Audit Practice
Page 54 and 55: Public bodies7. Those responsible f
Page 56 and 57: 20. Matters arising from local gove
Page 58 and 59: Audit work does not replace the nee
Page 62 and 63: 39. Auditors are required to carry
Page 64 and 65: Systems of internal controlStatemen
Page 66 and 67: esponses to developments which may
Page 68 and 69: work assigned to them in line with
Page 70 and 71: odies to manage contact appropriate
Page 72 and 73: 110. Exceptionally, Audit Scotland
Page 74 and 75: Appendix 1Auditors’ statutory dut
Page 76 and 77: Appendix 2Public rights of inspecti
Page 78 and 79: Appendix 4Glossary of termsAuditWor
Page 80 and 81: Statement on internal controlDepend
Page 82 and 83: Maintaining Scotland’s RoadsThis
Page 84 and 85: An emergency motion was lodged at t
Page 86 and 87: Proposal to move fortnightly-paid c
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17 March 2011 - Audit Scotland

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