Item - 2008.AU9.8

The Audit Committee recommended to the Budget Committee, approval of the attached 2009 budget for the Auditor General's Office.

This report provides information relating to the 2008 budget for the Auditor General’s Office and a recommended budget for approval by the Audit Committee.

The Auditor General’s 2009 budget request is for $4,336,074 which is $66,445, (1.6 per cent) greater than the Office’s 2008 Council approved budget. 

The 2009 budget request for the Auditor General’s Office is $4,336,074 which is $66,445 in excess of the 2008 final budget of $4,269,629.  The proposed budget contains audit fees in the amount of $440,755 relating to the external financial audit.  The Auditor General has no control over the external audit fees paid to the external audit firms as the amount is pre-determined based on the Council approved two-year contract extension for fiscal years 2008 and 2009.

An analysis of the budget request is as follows:

The majority of the Auditor General’s 2009 budget request consists of salaries and benefits.  If the amount of $440,755 for external audit fees is excluded from the budget of the Auditor General’s Office, the percentage of the salaries and benefits to the total budget is just over 96 per cent.