Statement of Council’s and Chief Executive’s responsibilities

Under Paragraph 21 of Schedule 1 to the Education (Wales) Act 2014, the EWC is required to prepare, for each financial year, a statement of accounts in the form and on the basis set out in the Accounts Direction. The Accounts are prepared on an accruals basis and must give a true and fair view of the EWC’s state of affairs at the year-end and of its income and expenditure, and cash flows for the financial year.

In preparing the Accounts, the EWC is required to comply with the requirements of the Government Financial Reporting Manual and in particular to:

• observe the Accounts Direction issued by Welsh Government, including the relevant accounting and disclosure requirements, and apply suitable accounting policies on a consistent basis
• make judgements and estimates on a reasonable basis
• state whether applicable accounting standards, as set out in the Government Financial Reporting Manual, have been followed, and disclose and explain any material departures in the financial statements
• prepare the financial statements on a going concern basis

The responsibilities of the Chief Executive, are set out in Managing Welsh Public Money, published by Welsh Government including responsibility for:

• the propriety and regularity of the public finances (for which the Chief Executive is answerable)
• keeping proper records
• safeguarding the EWC’s assets

As Chief Executive, I confirm that:

• as far as I am aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the EWC’s auditors are unaware
• I have taken all the steps that I ought to have taken to make myself aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the EWC’s auditors are aware of that information
• this Annual Report and Accounts as a whole is fair, balanced, and understandable and that I take personal responsibility for this Annual Report and Accounts and the judgments required for determining that it is fair, balanced, and understandable