AZETS_GARBUTT_&_ELLIOTT_L - Accounts

The responsible for preparing the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law (as applied by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008) requires the members to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under that law the members have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with UK Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (UK Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law (as applied by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008) the members must not approve the financial statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the LLP and of the profit or loss of the LLP for that year. In preparing those financial statements, the members are required to:

- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently;

- make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent;

- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the LLP will continue in business.

The members are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the LLP's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the LLP and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006 (as applied by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008). They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the LLP and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

The members present their annual report and financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2023.

The principal activity of Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP (the "LLP") is that of accountants and business advisers. On 30 June 2022, the LLP's assets and business were transferred to Azets Holdings Limited and the LLP ceased its principal activity.

On 3 December 2021, the LLP changed its name from Garbutt & Elliott LLP to Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP.

On 6 December 2021, the LLP changed its registered office from Triune Court, Monks Cross Drive, York, YO32 9GZ to Churchill House, 59 Lichfield Street, Walsall, WS4 2BX and on 3 October 2022 changed its registered office to 2nd Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN.

The LLP agreement allows each designated member to draw a proportion of their profit share, subject to the cash requirements of the business.

A member's capital requirement is linked to the working capital needs of the LLP and is agreed from time to time by the designated members. There is no opportunity for appreciation of the capital subscribed. Just as incoming members introduce their capital at "par", so the retiring members are repaid their capital at "par".

The designated members who held office during the year and up to the date of signature of the financial statements were as follows:

Langard Lifford Hall Limited were appointed as auditor to the limited liability partnership and in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006 (as applied by The Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008), a resolution proposing that they be re-appointed will be put at a general meeting.

Each of the members in office at the date of approval of this annual report confirms that:

•     so far as the members are aware, there is no relevant audit information of which the limited liability partnership's auditor is unaware, and

•     the members have taken all the steps that ught to have taken as members in order to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the limited liability partnership's auditor is aware of that information.

At the time of approving the financial statements, the Members have a reasonable expectation that the LLP has adequate resources to continue for the foreseeable future.

We have audited the financial statements of Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP (the 'limited liability partnership') for the year ended 30 June 2023 which comprise the income statement, the statement of comprehensive income, the statement of financial position and notes to the financial statements, including significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).

In our opinion the financial statements:

•     give a true and fair view of the state of the limited liability partnership's affairs as at 30 June 2023 and of its profit for the year then ended;

•     have been properly prepared in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice; and

•     have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 as applied to limited liability partnerships by the Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008.

Basis for opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor's responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the limited liability partnership in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the UK, including the FRC’s Ethical Standard, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Conclusions relating to going concern

In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the members' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.

Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the limited liability partnership’s ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.

Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the members with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.

Other information

The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our auditor's report thereon. The members are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.

We have nothing to report in this regard.

We have nothing to report in respect of the following matters in relation to which the Companies Act 2006 as applied to limited liability partnerships requires us to report to you if, in our opinion:

• adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us; or

• the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns; or

• we have not received all the information and explanations we require for our audit.

As explained more fully in the members' responsibilities statement, the members are responsible for the preparation of the financial statements and for being satisfied that they give a true and fair view, and for such internal control as the members determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. In preparing the financial statements, the members are responsible for assessing the limited liability partnership's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the members either intend to liquidate the limited liability partnership or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

A further description of our responsibilities is available on the Financial Reporting Council’s website at: https://www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our auditor's report.

Extent to which the audit was considered capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud

Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above and on the Financial Reporting Council’s website, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud.

We obtain and update our understanding of the entity, its activities, its control environment, and likely future developments, including in relation to the legal and regulatory framework applicable and how the entity is complying with that framework.  Based on this understanding, we identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.  This includes consideration of the risk of acts by the entity that were contrary to applicable laws and regulations, including fraud.

In response to the risk of irregularities and non-compliance with laws and regulations, including fraud, we designed procedures which included:

• Enquiry of management and those charged with governance around actual and potential litigation and claims as well as actual, suspected and alleged fraud; 

• Reviewing minutes of meetings of those charged with governance;

• Assessing the extent of compliance with the laws and regulations considered to have a direct material effect on the financial statements or the operations of the entity through enquiry and inspection; 

• Reviewing financial statement disclosures and testing to supporting documentation to assess compliance with applicable laws and regulations;

• Performing audit work over the risk of management bias and override of controls, including testing of journal entries and other adjustments for appropriateness, evaluating the business rationale of significant transactions outside the normal course of business and reviewing accounting estimates for indicators of potential bias. 

Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation.  This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-compliance.  The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the limited liability partnership's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006 as applied by the Limited Liability Partnerships (Accounts and Audit) (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2008. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the limited liability partnership's members those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor's report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the limited liability partnership and the limited liability partnership's members as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

The income statement has been prepared on the basis that all operations have been discontinued.

Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP is a limited liability partnership incorporated in England and Wales. The registered office is 2nd Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN.

The LLP's principal activities are disclosed in the Members' Report.

Financial statements are presented for the year 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. The comparative period figures are for the period from 1 October 2021 to 30 June 2022.

These financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice "Accounting by Limited Liability Partnerships" issued in December 2018, together with FRS 102 “The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland” (“FRS 102”) and the requirements of the Companies Act 2006.

The financial statements are prepared in sterling, which is the functional currency of the limited liability partnership. Monetary amounts in these financial statements are rounded to the nearest £1.

The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention. The principal accounting policies adopted are set out below.

This limited liability partnership is a qualifying entity for the purposes of FRS 102, being a member of a group where the parent of that group prepares publicly available consolidated financial statements, including this limited liability partnership, which are intended to give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit or loss of the group. The limited liability partnership has therefore taken advantage of exemptions from the following disclosure requirements:

• Section 7 ‘Statement of Cash Flows’: Presentation of a statement of cash flow and related notes and disclosures;

• Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instrument Issues: Interest income/expense and net gains/losses for financial instruments not measured at fair value; basis of determining fair values; details of collateral, loan defaults or breaches, details of hedges, hedging fair value changes recognised in profit or loss and in other comprehensive income;

• Section 33 ‘Related Party Disclosures’: Compensation for key management personnel.

The limited liability partnership has taken advantage of the exemption under section 400 of the Companies Act 2006 not to prepare consolidated accounts. The financial statements present information about the limited liability partnership as an individual entity and not about its group.

Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP is a wholly owned subsidiary of Azets Topco Limited and the results of Azets Garbutt & Elliott LLP are included in the consolidated financial statements of Azets Topco Limited which are available from Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ.

The members have considered all factors, including in the wider economy and as relating to Covid-19, as part of their assessment of going concern. Although the current economic climate creates both cashflow and profitability risks for the LLP, current trading performance together with sensitised budgets and cash flow projections give the members confidence that on balance the LLP has sufficient resources to enable trading to continue for a period of at least one year from the date of approval of the financial statements. Accordingly, these financial statements have been prepared on the going concern basis.

Turnover represents amounts receivable for goods and services net of VAT and trade discounts.

Turnover is recognised on unbilled client assignments, if the final outcome can be assessed with reasonable certainty, as contract activity progresses and the right to consideration is earned. It is calculated by considering the amounts that can reasonably be expected to be recoverable from clients based upon time spent and expenses incurred.

Turnover in respect of contingent assignments (over any agreed minimum fee) is recognised in the period in which the contingent event occurs.

Members' participation rights are the rights of a member against the LLP that arise under the members' agreement (for example, in respect of amounts subscribed or otherwise contributed remuneration and profits).

Members' participation rights in the earnings or assets of the LLP are analysed between those that are, from the LLP's perspective, either a financial liability or equity, in accordance with section 22 of FRS 102. A member's participation right results in a liability unless the right to any payment is discretionary on the part of the LLP.

Amounts subscribed or otherwise contributed by members, for example members' capital, are classed as equity if the LLP has an unconditional right to refuse payment to members. If the LLP does not have such an unconditional right, such amounts are classified as liabilities.

Where profits are automatically divided as they arise, so the LLP does not have an unconditional right to refuse payment, the amounts arising that are due to members are in the nature of liabilities. They are therefore treated as an expense in the profit and loss account in the relevant year. To the extent that they remain unpaid at the period end, they are shown as liabilities in the balance sheet.

Conversely, where profits are divided only after a decision by the LLP or its representative, so that the LLP has an unconditional right to refuse payment, such profits are classed as an appropriation of equity rather than as an expense. They are therefore shown as a residual amount available for discretionary division among members in the profit and loss account and are equity appropriations in the balance sheet.

Other amounts applied to members, for example remuneration paid under an employment contract and interest on capital balances, are treated in the same way as all other divisions of profits, as described above, according to whether the LLP has, in each case, an unconditional right to refuse payment.

All amounts due to members that are classified as liabilities are presented in the balance sheet within 'Loans and other debts due to members' and are charged to the profit and loss account within 'Members' remuneration charged as an expense'. Amounts due to members that are classified as equity are shown in the balance sheet within 'Members' other interests'.

Property, plant and equipment are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost or valuation, net of depreciation and any impairment losses.

Depreciation is recognised so as to write off the cost or valuation of assets less their residual values over their useful lives on the following bases:

The gain or loss arising on the disposal of an asset is determined as the difference between the sale proceeds and the carrying value of the asset, and is recognised in the income statement.

Interests in subsidiaries, associates and jointly controlled entities are initially measured at cost and subsequently measured at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. The investments are assessed for impairment at each reporting date and any impairment losses or reversals of impairment losses are recognised immediately in profit or loss.

A subsidiary is an entity controlled by the limited liability partnership. Control is the power to govern the financial and operating policies of the entity so as to obtain benefits from its activities.

Cash and cash equivalents are basic financial assets and include cash in hand, deposits held at call with banks, other short-term liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, and bank overdrafts. Bank overdrafts are shown within borrowings in current liabilities.

The LLP has elected to apply the provisions of Section 11 ‘Basic Financial Instruments’ and Section 12 ‘Other Financial Instruments Issues’ of FRS 102 to all of its financial instruments.

Financial instruments are recognised in the LLP's balance sheet when the LLP becomes party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.

Financial assets and liabilities are offset and the net amounts presented in the financial statements when there is a legally enforceable right to set off the recognised amounts and there is an intention to settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously.

Basic financial assets, which include trade and other receivables and cash and bank balances, are initially measured at transaction price including transaction costs and are subsequently carried at amortised cost using the effective interest method unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial assets classified as receivable within one year are not amortised.

Other financial assets, including investments in equity instruments which are not subsidiaries, associates or joint ventures, are initially measured at fair value, which is normally the transaction price. Such assets are subsequently carried at fair value and the changes in fair value are recognised in profit or loss, except that investments in equity instruments that are not publicly traded and whose fair values cannot be measured reliably are measured at cost less impairment.

Financial assets, other than those held at fair value through profit and loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at each reporting end date.

Financial assets are impaired where there is objective evidence that, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial recognition of the financial asset, the estimated future cash flows have been affected. If an asset is impaired, the impairment loss is the difference between the carrying amount and the present value of the estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. The impairment loss is recognised in profit or loss.

If there is a decrease in the impairment loss arising from an event occurring after the impairment was recognised, the impairment is reversed. The reversal is such that the current carrying amount does not exceed what the carrying amount would have been, had the impairment not previously been recognised. The impairment reversal is recognised in profit or loss.

Financial assets are derecognised only when the contractual rights to the cash flows from the asset expire or are settled, or when the LLP transfers the financial asset and substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership to another entity, or if some significant risks and rewards of ownership are retained but control of the asset has transferred to another party that is able to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party.

Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the limited liability partnership after deducting all of its liabilities.

Basic financial liabilities, including trade and other payables, bank loans are initially recognised at transaction price unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest. Financial liabilities classified as payable within one year are not amortised.

Debt instruments are subsequently carried at amortised cost, using the effective interest rate method.

Trade payables are obligations to pay for goods or services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Amounts payable are classified as current liabilities if payment is due within one year or less. If not, they are presented as non-current liabilities. Trade payables are recognised initially at transaction price and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.

Debt instruments that do not meet the conditions in FRS 102 paragraph 11.9 are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss. Debt instruments may be designated as fair value though profit or loss to eliminate or reduce an accounting mismatch or if the instruments are measured and their performance evaluated on a fair value basis in accordance with a documented risk management or investment strategy.

Financial liabilities are derecognised when the LLP’s obligations expire or are discharged or cancelled.

The costs of short-term employee benefits are recognised as a liability and an expense, unless those costs are required to be recognised as part of the cost of stock or non-current assets.

The cost of any unused holiday entitlement is recognised in the period in which the employee’s services are received.

Termination benefits are recognised immediately as an expense when the LLP is demonstrably committed to terminate the employment of an employee or to provide termination benefits.

The LLP operates a defined contribution scheme for the benefit of its employees. Contributions payable are charged to the profit and loss account in the year they are payable.

The LLP has no obligation to make post-retirement payments to members.

Rentals payable under operating leases, including any lease incentives received, are charged to profit or loss on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease except where another more systematic basis is more representative of the time pattern in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed.

Taxation

The LLP is not subject to tax on its profits as taxation remains the responsibility of its members. Accordingly, no current or deferred tax charge is provided for in these financial statements.

An analysis of the limited liability partnership's revenue is as follows:

At 30 June 2022, the LLP transferred all of its trade and assets at fair value to a group company, Azets Holdings Limited, as part of a group re-organisation. The other operating income represents the fair value of consideration received for the trade and assets.

The LLP ceased trading from 30 June 2022.

The auditors remuneration is borne by Azets Holdings Limited, an intermediate parent company.

The average number of persons (excluding members) employed by the LLP during the year was:

Their aggregate remuneration comprised:

Details of the limited liability partnership's subsidiaries at 30 June 2023 are as follows:

The registered office for Garbutt & Elliott Audit Limited is 2nd Floor, Regis House, 45 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AN.

The aggregate capital and reserves at 30 June 2023 of the company's subsidiary, Azetts Garbutt & Elliott Audit Limited, was £220 (30 June 2022: £62,847).

The limited liability partnership operates a defined contribution pension scheme for all qualifying employees. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the limited liability partnership in an independently administered fund.

In the event of a winding up the amounts included in "Loans and other debts due to members" will rank equally with unsecured creditors.

In the prior year, as part of the hive-up of trade and assets to Azets Holdings Limited, the operating lease committements were transferred to Azets Holdings Limited.

Certain members are also directors of the wider Azets group of companies, and the emoluments relating to these members are borne by other undertakings in the group. In any given year the members do not spend a significant portion of their time on the LLP.

The immediate parent and controlling member is Azets G&E Professional Services Limited, a company registered in England and Wales.

The parent company of the smallest group of undertakings for which consolidated financial statements are drawn up and of which the company is a member is Azets Topco Limited, a company incorporated in Jersey, whose registered address is 22 Grenville Street, St Helier, Jersey, JE4 8PX. Copies of the group financial statements are available from Companies House, Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ.

In the opinion of the directors the immediate controlling party is the immediate parent entity and there is no ultimate controlling party.