Auditor Ubben: This is how Emden protects its finances from scandals!

Auditor Ubben: This is how Emden protects its finances from scandals!

In Emden, the Audit Office (RPA) under the direction of Wolfgang Ubben has a lot to do. Since 2020, he has been responsible for the audit office, which is responsible for controlling the city's financial affairs. The RPA office is located above the council chambers on the second floor, where auditors ensure that all city income and expenditure are legal and transparent. The city's core budget amounts to around half a billion euros, and the requirements for financial auditing are correspondingly high.

The RPA works on behalf of the council and not the administration. This means that its primary task is to audit all of the city's annual financial statements. Every year all areas must submit their financial statements to the RPA. This audit may extend over two to three months, during which time the Office may also carry out special audits if requested by the Council. The focus is less on checking each individual number and more on risk assessment and salient points. This approach allows the RPA to work efficiently and purposefully.

Relevance of the audit

Auditing is of central importance for municipal financial management. Loud KGST Local auditing includes checking the legality, regularity and efficiency of actions. These audits not only support the council but also play an important role in administrative governance. Particularly noteworthy is the risk-oriented approach to auditing, which has become increasingly important in recent years. Ubben explains: “The pressure to save and the debt problems of our municipalities have a direct influence on the final audits.” This often leads to late reports, which visibly annoys him.

Another exciting detail: the RPA carries out its audits independently and is only responsible to the council. This guarantees an objective and neutral perspective. In the event of irregularities, however, the inspection body is obliged to report them to the municipal supervisory authority. A failure that is viewed as exoneration can quickly lead to liability problems for those responsible. A good reason why the RPA is always open to the Council's concerns.

Challenges of financial statements

Under no circumstances should the final reports be viewed as a formality. Although the RPA does not verify the approval of expenditure, it is instrumental in ensuring legality and transparency. The importance of auditing is also highlighted by the increased demand for advisory roles within local government. In a time when every expense has to be weighed on the gold scales, it is more important than ever that the audits are not only thorough but also carried out in a timely manner. So Emden stays on the safe side.

In conclusion, it remains to be said that the work of the audit office under Wolfgang Ubben makes a decisive contribution to the financial health of the city of Emden. Their independence and committed approach are essential for more transparent and lawful financial management, especially in times of austerity pressure.