The City of Swan Council has been ranked as one of Western Australia’s top local governments for financial reporting.
The Council received ‘best practice’ status in the Auditor-General’s Financial Audit Results – Local Government report for 2021/22, an annual inspection of the sector’s financials.
Auditor-General, Caroline Spencer said there was an increase in financial management and information system control weakness across the local government sector.
However she commended the City of Swan Council for the timeliness and quality of its financial statements.
The Council was ranked in the top 20 local governments in the report – one of just two major metropolitan councils to make the best-practice list.
The report results were tabled in State Parliament this month.
While the Financial Audit Results – Local Government report is published annually, this was the first year it rated local governments on their financial reporting and financial controls.
The quality of financial reporting was measured against five criteria:
- timeliness of financial statements
- quality of financial statements and notes
- quality of working papers
- resolution of accounting issues
- availability of key staff.
Auditor-General’s best practice top 20 local government entities were named as:
City of Swan, City of Melville, City of Albany, City of Greater Geraldton, Shire of Dumbleyung, Shire of Murray, Shire of Boddington, Shire of Gingin, Shire of Pingelly, Shire of Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Shire of Wagin, Shire of Jerramungup, Shire of Cranbrook, Shire of Donnybrook-Balingup, Shire of Waroona, Shire of Cue, Shire of Mingenew, Shire of Wongan-Ballidu, Eastern Metropolitan Regional Council, Murchison Regional Vermin Council.
