Essential Corporate News - week ending 10 August 2012

10 August 2012

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Welcome to Essential Corporate News, our weekly news service covering the latest developments in the UK corporate world.

ICSA: Guidance on induction of directors

On 9 July 2012, the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) published an updated version of its Guidance Note on the induction of directors. It notes that while the induction process should aim to build an understanding of the nature of the company, its business in the markets in which it operates, build a link with the company’s people and build an understanding of the company’s main relationships, the induction process should also aim to ensure an understanding of the role of the director and the framework within which the board operates.

The Guidance Note considers the references to induction in regulations and guidance and suggests best practice points and points to consider in designing an induction programme for directors. It then provides checklists for director induction programmes and for induction to audit committees, remuneration committees and nomination committees.

(ICSA, Guidance on induction of directors, 09.07.12)

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FRRP: Review of the annual report and accounts of Pendragon PLC for the year ended 31 December 2011

On 7 August 2012, the Financial Reporting Review Panel (FRRP) announced that its review of the annual report and accounts of Pendragon PLC (Pendragon) for the year ended 31 December 2011 (which the FRRP initiated in March 2012) has been concluded. The decision follows “corrective action” taken by the directors of Pendragon in relation to the presentation of cash flows from Pendragon’s contract hire vehicle operations which were reported in its annual report and accounts for the year ended 31 December 2011.

According to the FRRP, Pendragon’s 2012 Interim Results, which were announced on 7 August 2012, corrected an error reported in the 2011 consolidated cash flow statement through a restatement of the comparative figures. The correction represented a reclassification of net cash outflows of £31.3 million, related to the company’s contract hire operations, which were reported in the 2011 consolidated cash flow statement within investing activities, to operating activities. The FRRP notes that there is no impact on the net cash flow, the opening and closing cash position, the income statement or the statement of financial position as previously reported.

(Review of the annual report and accounts of Pendragon PLC for the year ended 31 December 2011, 07.08.12)

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