The Audit Committee of Manchester Council was scheduled to discuss the draft 2025/26 Annual Accounts and the External Auditor's Audit Strategy Memorandum. The committee was also set to review its Work Programme and Decisions Monitor.

2025/26 Annual Accounts Draft

The committee was scheduled to consider the draft 2025/26 Annual Accounts, which were presented by the City Treasurer and Interim Deputy Chief Executive and Deputy City Treasurer. This report detailed the Council's financial performance for the year and included the unaudited Statement of Accounts for the 2025/26 financial year, which were presented for audit by the Council's appointed external auditors, Forvis Mazars LLP¹. The report also included the Council's Narrative Report, which provides context to the financial figures, outlining the Council's strategies, objectives, and achievements across various themes, as well as its financial outlook and risks.

The Annual Governance Statement² was also to be considered, reviewing the Council's adherence to its Code of Corporate Governance and outlining progress made in addressing key governance challenges. The report highlighted the Council's commitment to good governance, its strategy, objectives, and workforce, and detailed the delivery of its Corporate Plan across eight themes. It also provided an overview of the Council's funding and spending for 2025/26, including revenue and capital outturn reports, and discussed the Council's reserves and cashflow position.

The draft accounts themselves were extensive, covering the Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement, Balance Sheet, Movement in Reserves Statement, Cash Flow Statement, and detailed notes on accounting policies, critical accounting judgements, significant items, expenditure and income analysis, PFI arrangements, pension schemes, and financial instruments. The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) and Collection Fund statements were also included, providing specific financial details for these ringfenced accounts.

External Audit - Audit Strategy Memorandum

The committee was scheduled to receive the Audit Strategy Memorandum from the Council's external auditors, Forvis Mazars LLP³. This memorandum outlines the planned scope and timing of the audit for the year ending 31 March 2026. It details the audit approach, including the significant and enhanced audit risks identified, and the expected key audit matters. The memorandum also summarises Forvis Mazars LLP's considerations and conclusions regarding their independence from Manchester City Council. The report detailed the audit team, the planned audit scope and approach, and the timeline for the audit fieldwork and completion. It also highlighted the materiality levels set for the audit of both the consolidated and parent-only financial statements.

Work Programme and Decisions Monitor

The committee was scheduled to review its Work Programme and Decisions Monitor. This report provides information on previous audit committee decisions, items for information, and the draft Work Programme for future meetings. The committee was invited to discuss this information and agree any necessary changes to its work programme. The agenda indicated that there were no active decisions to report from previous meetings. The work programme for future meetings, including those scheduled for September, November, and March, was also to be discussed, with a note indicating a potential discussion about annual training for the committee. Specific items scheduled for future meetings included the External Auditors Annual Report, Internal Audit Assurance Updates, Outstanding Audit Recommendations, Treasury Management Updates, the Council Risk Register, and the Review of the Code of Corporate Governance.