Hon George Cash asks about the auditor's report for the Town of Claremont, specifically regarding financial management practices and follow-up items. Hon Ljiljanna Ravlich confirms the auditor's concerns and lists the follow-up items, noting an ongoing investigation.

AnsweredQoN 297Legislative Council
Asked
3 April 2008
Portfolio
Local Government

QuestionView source ↗

TOWN OF CLAREMONT — AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS
I refer to the auditor’s report to the Town of Claremont dated 31 January 2008. (1) Did the auditor express the view that the matters raised and the situation as outlined in the auditor’s report were bordering on a breakdown in the financial management practices of the Town of Claremont? (2) What further follow-up items in the interim report were listed in the auditor’s report dated 31 January 2008? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
(1) Did the auditor express the view that the matters raised and the situation as outlined in the auditor’s report were bordering on a breakdown in the financial management practices of the Town of Claremont? (2) What further follow-up items in the interim report were listed in the auditor’s report dated 31 January 2008? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
(2) What further follow-up items in the interim report were listed in the auditor’s report dated 31 January 2008? Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
Hon LJILJANNA RAVLICH replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. (1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
(1) Yes. (2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
(2) The follow-up items in the interim report by the auditors for the Town of Claremont are as follows: notices of financial disclosures were missing; there was no independent checking of the bank account, rate debtors, sundry debtors and creditors reconciliation; there were deficiencies in purchases, payments and creditors’ control; there was no manual rolling reconciliation for rate valuation; primary and annual returns were not properly completed; notice for annual electors’ meeting was not properly given; tender register was not properly maintained; outstanding deposits were not cleared; stale cheques existed; no bank account was maintained for trust funds; adoption of benchmark value for material variances reporting was required; submission of budget review and annual financial report was required; and rate instalment notices did not contain some prescribed information. By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.
By way of additional information, as the member knows, the department is investigating this matter.

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