Page 65 - Donegal CC An Rpt 19

Financial Accounting and the Milestone-4 Project Team
Financial Accounting has primary responsibility for the following:
· Producing the Annual Financial Statements
· Managing the annual audit process
· Reporting on General Government Balances (GGB) and submitting quarterly department returns
· Tax returns (s891b)
· Tax compliance
· Providing financial/systems guidance to other Council sections
· Systems maintenance (technical upgrades)
· Accounting changes (introducing new procedures in response to accounting changes)
· Providing advice to other sections in respect of finance/system requirements relating to new IT systems (e.g. Dog Licensing, Online payments and so on)
During 2019, the Milestone-4 Project
Team continued to provide a wide range
of supports to other Council services on
the operation of the financial management system (Agresso). The MS-4 team has had a key role in the development of a new system that supports local authority submissions to the Central Bank’s Credit Control Register. This development/implementation work was substantially completed in 2019.
Bank & Treasury Management
The Financial Accounts section manages the Council’s bank accounts and investments, with a view to ensuring ongoing and adequate financial resources are available for the Council’s activities. During the year, the section carried out a review of its investment options, and has successfully allocated its resources to attain the highest rate of return possible, while simultaneously ensuring
that the Councils assets are prudently safeguarded in recognition of, amongst other things, the Bank Resolution and Recovery Directive.
Income Collection Unit
Commercial Rates
In 2019, 5,646 Commercial Rates bills totalling €34.2m were issued to businesses in County Donegal.
Total cash collected in 2019 in respect of Commercial Rates was €27.8m, representing an increase of €1.1m on the previous year. €6.3m was written off as irrecoverable during 2019. €4.3m of this figure related to properties that were vacant and that were available for lease.
The Council adopts a very proactive approach in engaging with Commercial Rates customers. Many customers choose to sign-up to monthly payment plans that allow their liability to be discharged evenly over the course of the financial year. Customers who find themselves in arrears can avail
of payment-plan options that will facilitate their overall liability reducing over an agreed extended period. Where necessary, the Council pursues legal action for the recovery of outstanding liabilities.
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