Reports to Council audit committee 'not for public'

Minutes of Central Coast Council's audit and risk improvement committee seem to contradict a media release made by Council's acting CEO Mr Rik Hart on January 11 that "we have been open with the community about our financial situation".

Two reports to the committee will not be made public, according to the agenda for the Council's January 27 meeting.

One was a "confidential late report" that was circulated to committee members at the beginning of the meeting about progress on Council's Business Recovery Plan, formerly known as 100-Day Plan.

The committee recommended the report and supporting papers not be made publicly available because they contained information about matters affecting the security of council, council officials and/or council property.

The meeting received a verbal update on external audit activities and minuted that it had requested an extension with the NSW Audit Office for lodgement of 2019-20 financial statements "given the current situation".

Correspondence from the NSW Audit Office regarding a "Performance Audit - Governance and Internal Controls over Local Infrastructure Contributions" was also kept confidential.

"The Committee recommends that the report and the supporting papers not be made publicly available ... as they contain information about matters affecting the security of Council, Council Officials and/or Council property; and ...on balance it would not be in the public interest to make this information available as Council does not disclose to the public any information from the NSW Audit Office to ensure the efficacy of its investigating, auditing or reporting functions."

SOURCE:

Central Coast Council agenda 3.3, 27 Jan 2021