2007-2008 - Annual Audit and Inspection Letter - Shepway DC v1.0

Annual Audit and Inspection Letter Shepway District Council Audit 2007/08 March 2009 Contents Key messages 3 Purpose, responsibilities and scope 5 How is Shepway District Council performing? 6 The audit of the accounts and value for money 16 Looking ahead 20 Closing remarks 21 Status of our reports The Statement of Responsibilities of Auditors and Audited Bodies issued by the Audit Commission explains the respective responsibilities of auditors and of the audited body. Reports prepared by appointed auditors are addressed to non-executive directors/members or officers. They are prepared for the sole use of the audited body. Auditors accept no responsibility to: • any director/member or officer in their individual capacity; or • any third party. Key messages Key messages 1 The Council was assessed as 'good' in the corporate re-assessment carried out in 2008. This is a notable achievement and demonstrates the progress the Council has made in strengthening its corporate effectiveness. The Council was found to have clear and realistic ambitions, which were shared with partners, and addressed the broad needs of the community. Prioritisation was effective, with strong political and managerial leadership highlighted. Performance management was found to be developing still. As a result, whilst there have been some significant achievements, improvements have been from a low base and often internally focussed. 2 Despite this, the Council ...