Calling All Welsh AATers

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The Welsh Government have launched its White paper on Sustainable Development which is out for cosultation until 4 March 2013. When the Paper becomes an Act it will require all Public Sector bodies to embed sustainable develpment into all its strategy, policy and decision making. The processes for setting policy, strategy and making decisions will be subject to Audit (that is not the decision itself, but the process used to make the decison) to ensure that sustainable development has been a fundamental pillar in that decision. The Act will also set up a body to advise and help organisations.

The White paper is not specific on how the requirements are to be reported, but as the Bill impacts on the very centre of Governance and the Audited Annual Statement of Accounts by Regulation has to contain a Governance Assurance Statement, it is likely that the Sutainable Development Report will also go into the Statement of Accounts, putting the whole issue of compliance and reporting into the Accountants world. This is reinforced by the Welsh Government asking Cymru Cannal to form a working party to advise on reporting, this party is made up in the main of Accountants and Auditors.

Welsh Government think that this change in Wales is so fundamental that they are are putting on a series of general information sessions and more detailed workshops to help people better respond the the consultation. The general sessions and workshops are:
29 and30 Jan - Llandudno Junction
5 and 6 Feb - Cardiff
12 and 13 Feb - Llandrindod Wells
TBC - Carmarthen.

This is an icredibly important piece of legislation that will impact on us all one way or another. So please take time to visit the Welsh Government website

sustainable.development@wales.gsi.gov.uk

to have a look at the White paper (it is not that long a read), book into one of the sessions and respond to the consultation.