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Financial information
There are several financial reports we have to publish by law.
Statement of accounts
At the end of each financial year, all councils have to publish a Statement of Accounts.
The accounts show how we have used public money in the year and that we have been honest and responsible.
We publish the Statement of Accounts, Governance Statement and External Audit Report for the current year and previous six years here.
Audit of accounts
2023/24 Statement of Accounts
The council's accounts for 2023/24 have been disclaimed by Ernst & Young LLP (EY). EY issued a disclaimed audit opinion on the accounts on 12 February 2025. The 2023/24 disclaimed Statement of Accounts including the audit opinion can be accessed below.
Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement
Please note if you require any of the PDFs below in an accessible format, email webmaster@arun.gov.uk to request this.
Draft Statement of Accounts for 2024-25 [pdf] 2MB
Draft Annual Governance Statement 2024-25
Statement of Accounts for 2023-24[pdf] 3MB
Annual Governance Statement 2023-24
Statement of Accounts for 2022-23 [pdf] 3MB
Annual Governance Statement 2022-23
Audited Statement of Accounts 2021-22 [pdf] 3MB
Governance Statement 2021-22[pdf] 1MB
Annual Audit Report 2021-22 [pdf] 908KB
Statement of Accounts 2020-21[pdf] 2MB
Governance Statement 2020-21 [pdf] 814KB
Annual Audit Report 2020-21 [pdf] 2MB
Statement of Accounts 2019-20 [pdf] 3MB
Governance Statement 2019-20 [pdf] 784KB
Annual Audit Report 2019-20 [pdf] 4MB
Statement of Accounts 2018-19 [pdf] 4MB
Governance Statement 2018-19 [pdf] 2MB
Annual Audit Report 2018-19 [pdf] 7MB
Statement of Accounts 2017-18 [pdf] 4MB
Governance Statement 2017-18 [pdf] 3MB
Annual Audit Report 2017-18 [pdf] 2MB
Statement of Accounts 2016-17 [pdf] 1MB
Governance Statement 2016-17 [pdf] 3MB
Annual Audit Report 2016-17 [pdf] 2MB
The budget
We publish the budgets for the current year and six previous years here.
Budget book 2025-26.pdf[pdf] 940KB
Budget Book 2024-25 [pdf] 402KB
Notices of public rights
Draft Statement of Accounts year ended 31 March 2025
Notice of publication of the draft (unaudited) 2024/25 Statement of Accounts and the commencement of the public inspection period.
In accordance with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (as amended), the council will publish its draft 2024/25 Statement of Accounts on 26 June 2025.
1) Under section 26 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, any persons interested has a right to inspect the accounting records for the financial year including all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records. Regulations 14 and 15 of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (as amended) require that this right (and associated rights) are exercisable over a single period of 30 working days. The period commences on 27 June 2025.
The 30-day public inspection period is therefore from 27th June 2025 to 7th August 2025, on weekdays between the times of 9.30am and 4.30pm at Arun District Council, Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5LF
Notice of intention to inspect accounting records and other documents referred above should be submitted to Antony Baden, Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer via email (antony.baden@arun.gov.uk).
2) An elector for the area of Arun District Council may question the auditor about the 2024/25 accounts.
3) An elector for the area of Arun District Council may make an objection on any matter in respect of which the auditor could take action under the Local Audit and Accountability Act.
Questions and/or objections should be directed to the appointed auditor Simon Mathers, Ernst & Young LLP, via email: smathers@uk.ey.com. A copy of any objection should also be sent to Antony Baden, Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer (antony.baden@arun.gov.uk).
Dated: 6 June 2025.
Antony Baden, Group Head of Finance and Section 151 Officer, Arun District Council, Civic Centre, Maltravers Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 5LF.
Simon Mathers, Partner, Ernst & Young LLP, Grosvenor House, Grosvenor Square, Southampton SO15 2BE
Audit of accounts
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014
Accounts and Audit (England) Regulations 2015
The external audit of the draft statement of accounts for the year ended 31 March 2023 has not yet been completed by our external auditors, EY LLP, due to the complex set of factors contributing to audit delays across the sector. This situation is allowed for by Regulation 10, paragraph (2a) of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015. (See attached link: The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (legislation.gov.uk)). Therefore, this notification explains, as per paragraph (2a), that we are not yet able to publish our audited 2022/23 final statement of accounts in line with deadline of 30 September 2023, as per paragraph (1). The Audit and Governance Committee will consider the results of the 2022/23 audit, after which we will publish the final audited accounts.
Key plans and strategies
Our financial strategies are helping us become more financially sustainable and resilient, safeguarding public funds whilst achieving value for money. The relevant strategies can be found here:
- the Financial Prospects 2024/25 to 2028/29 - update
- the capital strategy 2023-24 to 2027-28
- the Treasury Management Strategy Statement and Annual Investment Strategy 2025/26[pdf] was presented to Audit and Governance Committee on 27 February 2025 (item 10) and approved by Council on 19 March 2025.
- the Property Investment Strategy 2017-2022 was considered at Cabinet on 17 July 2017 and approved by Full Council on 13 September 2017.
Contracts register
If you are interested in viewing existing contracts for the council, our contracts are published in real-time via our shared In-tend portal contracts register. Contract information for the other authorities we share this portal with can also be found here.
Contracts can be searched by supplier or keyword and exported (Arun District Council contracts are pre-fixed ADC).