Councillors have criticised auditors for missing the deadline to file Bristol City Council’s accounts by six months.

The authority’s 2017/18 financial statements were legally due on July 31, 2018, but have still not been submitted by external auditors BDO half a year later.

BDO says the delay is because of “a number of issues” with the “highly complicated” accounts.

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But city council audit committee members laid the blame squarely at BDO’s feet, saying it was no coincidence that half a dozen other local authorities who used the auditors faced similar hold-ups.

Committee chairman Councillor Olly Mead said at last week’s meeting: “It’s entirely unacceptable that Bristol City Council has had to wait so long for this.

“I have to say that if I thought it was just an internal problem, I would be breathing down the necks of council officers.

“But ours is not the only council that’s had delays with this particular company.

“It’s not an internal problem because you don’t get six different councils having this problem.”

The council has since parted company with BDO and is now using Grant Thornton to audit its financial affairs.

Jackson Murray, Grant Thornton senior manager, told members he was “hopeful” there would be no problems caused by the fact the previous accounts still had not been filed.

He said: “Clearly we want to get an understanding from BDO in terms of handover.

“If that continues to be an issue then we will raise it.

“Our plan is very much to deliver (the accounts) at the end of July.

“That’s why we contacted BDO at the beginning of the month to ask the question of when they’re going to be finishing.

“This issue would be if the council has two sets of auditors, two sets of accounts, and that becomes messy.”

A BDO spokesperson said in a statement: “The council’s accounts subject to audit are highly complicated.

“With so much rightful scrutiny on public finances, it is vital to be thorough with the audit.

“A number of issues have arisen during the audit which have taken time to properly resolve, and some work is still ongoing relating to group accounts and remuneration issues.

“These issues are subject to necessary quality review processes, in compliance with auditing standards.”

A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “We continue to liaise with our former auditors on the completion of the audit of the council’s accounts for 2017/18. We are now hopeful of a speedy resolution of all outstanding issues.”

Adam Postans is a local democracy reporter for Bristol

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