INVESTIGATIONS into a “high” number of complaints on the Royal Borough’s 2019/20 accounts has delayed the final sign off.

External auditors Deloitte are finalising their inspection of the council’s finances for that year, councillors sitting on the audit and governance committee heard.

However, a “significant” number of objections raised has delayed the final sign off of the 2019/20 accounts as inspectors will have to investigate and respond to the complainants.

Complaints must be made by Royal Borough residents and must be submitted within a certain timeframe.

Deloitte auditor Jonathan Gooding told councillors on Thursday, February 17, they received 22 potential objections, six of which were accepted as ‘formal objections’.

While it is not known what these six potential eligible objections are, Mr Gooding said it could be matters that relate to the public interest or an item of accounts that could be unlawful.

READ MORE: Royal Borough scheme displays posters to help rough sleepers

Councillors were told it has taken time to investigate those “significant” number of complaints.

Mr Gooding said: “Across the several hundred of [local] authorities in the country, there is a relatively small number of objections.

“And so, the number of objections you have had, and certainly the number of potential objections you had in that year [2019/20], was particularly high compared to the national level that we see.”

READ MORE: Maidenhead: Outline plans for 16 stables given the nod

The findings of the objections will be included in the report, which should be given the final sign off by the external auditors before the end of March, subject to unforeseen circumstances.

Potential objections have also been raised to the 2020/21 statement of accounts where Deloitte plans to investigate these in March and April.

It is hoped to complete this audit work by August. The 2021/22 accounts will be examined with a view to complete this by the end of November.