LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTING IN PORTUGAL AND THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED ON CASH AND ACCRUALS BASES: A CASE AT A COIMBRA´S MUNICIPALITY

Abstract

Portuguese Official Accounting Plan for Local Government has been in use in Portugal for eight years. The 2008 Portuguese Local Government Financial Annual Report, based on the accounts of the 308 national local municipalities, is a document of undeniable value to the analysis of the aggregated information of the municipalities' budgetary, financial, economical and patrimonial situation. In these terms, the study synthesizes the results of a research work, which main goal was to collate the information provided on the last annual report (2008), with the one presented by a particular municipality - Oliveira do Hospital. Based on a set of indicators, it was tried to make a comparison with the national average parameters. The information sources refer to the main documents reported, of 2008 and 2009, collected by submitting a formal request addressed to the president of the city council; from the data belonging to the National Statistics Institute; and from the elements of the General Office of Local Government Municipalities. The research’s methodology implied in the treatment, the aggregation and comparison of information of the municipality with the one provided on the 2008 annual report. The results indicate that the municipality seems to give preference to the budgetary information at the expense of the patrimonial, economical and financial information.