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Statement of accounts

The statement of accounts is the formal audited accounts of the county council. The purpose of the statement of accounts is to give clear information on our overall finances and to demonstrate our stewardship of public money for the year.

The statement of accounts includes the Independent Auditor's Report and the Annual Governance Statement.

External audit of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 – Regulation 10, as amended by The Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

The audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 for Lancashire County Council has not yet been completed by the external auditors, Grant Thornton UK LLP. The Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2022 require that the audited accounts and opinion be published by 30 September 2024.

The draft unaudited statement of accounts for the financial year 2023/24 has been published in line with the regulatory deadline of 31 May 2024.

In line with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, the council has published draft accounts. The council will publish its final audited accounts as soon as the audit is concluded, and the Audit Report issued.

External audit of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023

The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 – Regulation 10, as amended by The Accounts and Audit (Amendment) Regulations 2022.

Conclusion of the audit

Lancashire County Council's Statement of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 has been published.

The Council’s auditors have issued their Audit Opinion on the 2022-23 Statement of Accounts. They cannot formally conclude their audit and issue an audit certificate until they have completed their work auditing various other matters including the Whole of Government Accounts return.

The web version of the Statement of Accounts does not include manual signatures for security purposes.

Right to inspect financial accounts

Lancashire County Council's Statement of Accounts (subject to audit) for the year ended 31 March 2024 has been published. The accounts are currently being audited and may be subject to change.

As a registered elector you have legal rights to inspect, ask questions about and challenge items in the council's accounts. 

These rights can only be exercised during a single thirty working-day period ('the inspection period') and are set out in the following sections of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014:

  • Section 25 – Inspection of statements of accounts
  • Section 26 – Inspection of documents
  • Section 27 – Right to make objections at audit
  • Section 28 – Declaration that item of account is unlawful

A guide to your rights is available on the National Audit Office website.

Notice of public rights

Notice is hereby given under Regulation 15(2)(b) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 that from 3 June 2024 to 12 July 2024, any person interested may on reasonable notice inspect and make copies of the accounts of the council for the year ended 31 March 2024 and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers and receipts, except as provided for in Section 26(4) to 26(6) of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 in relation to commercially confidential and personal information.  

All requests for information will be responded to electronically where possible.

Application should be made initially by email to:

 corporateaccounting@lancashire.gov.uk

From 3 June 2024 to 12 July 2024, the auditor, at the request of a local government elector for the council’s area, will give the elector or his representative an opportunity to question him about the accounts.

From 3 June 2024 to 12 July 2024, any such elector may make objections to the auditor, under Section 27 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, relating to any matter where the auditor could take action under:

  • Section 28 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, namely, to apply to the court for a declaration that an item in the accounts is contrary to law, and/or
  • Section 24 and paragraph 1 of Schedule 7 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, namely, to make a report in the public interest.

No objection may be made unless the auditor has previously received written notice of the proposed objection, specifying the facts on which the objector relies and the grounds on which the objection is being made. A copy of that written notice must also be sent to the council at the following address:

Angie Ridgwell
Chief Executive
Lancashire County Council
PO Box 78
County Hall
Fishergate
Preston
PR1 8XJ

The auditor is Grant Thornton UK LLP. Any questions and notices of objection should be addressed to:

Grant Thornton UK LLP
Royal Liver Building
Liverpool
L3 1PS