Welsh government bodies ‘should make their accounts more readable’

30 May 17

Welsh central government bodies should make their annual accounts more readable and employ checklists for completion.

That call has come from the country’s auditor-general Huw Vaughan Thomas, who noted all 23 bodies submitted their accounts to audit on time and generally to a good standard for 2015-16.

He said 18 of these had good quality assurance processes in place, though their quality assurance was variable.

Only 10 had used the accounts disclosure checklist to gain assurance over the quality of accounts and comply with accounting standards.

Thomas said he wanted to see wider use of checklists together with improved readability including the use of infographics and more timely, comprehensive and complete working papers.

He said: “Central government bodies in Wales provide a vast range of services, and in doing so, spend a significant amount of public money.

“It is encouraging that improvements in the quality and timeliness of audit accounts have been noted.

“However there a number of issues that still need to be addressed, to remove pressure and provide greater assurance ahead of significant changes to accounting standards and key developments."

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