Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Laura Kirman and Councillors Eddie Johnson and Ash Malik.

Councillors’ declarations of interest (if any) in relation to any matters on the agenda.

Councillor Jodi Dunne declared a pecuniary interest as a Council appointed Director of HTS (Housing and Regeneration) Ltd.

Minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2023

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 1 March 2023 are agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

In reference to Minute 45, it was noted that due to the efforts of Officers, the number of outstanding audits had fallen.

None.

None.

The Committee agreed that Item 12 on the agenda be considered next.

The Committee received the risk management report. The Committee requested that the Council’s most recent resource plan be circulated to the Committee.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the Strategic Risks, risk scores and variation against risk appetite as at 31 March 2023.

The Committee received its current work plan. Simon Freeman, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance updated the committee on the fact that conversations were ongoing at a national level to deal with the backlog of audits. He added that whilst the Councils accounts from 2018/19 onwards had not had audit opinions issued, all the accounts had been published on the Council’s website in line with legal requirements.

The Committee agreed that the meeting on 27 July would be deferred to a date to be fixed.

RESOLVED that:

A    The work plan be noted.

B    The meeting on 27 July be deferred to a date to be fixed.

The Committee received the annual report for 2022/23.

RESOLVED that:

A    The Annual Report of the Audit Committee for 2022/23 be agreed and recommended to Council for approval.

B    The changes to the Committee’s Terms of Reference be agreed and recommended to Council for approval.

C    The Committee considered the results of its review of effectiveness and noted its action plan.

The Committee considered the Head of Internal Audit’s annual report for 2022/23.

RESOLVED that the Audit and Standards Committee noted the Internal Audit Annual report and the Head of Internal Audit’s opinion and be considered in conjunction with the Annual Governance Statement 2022/23.

The Committee considered the Annual Governance Statement 2022/23.

RESOLVED that the Committee approved the Council’s draft Annual Governance Statement for 2022/23

The Committee considered the Period 2 Internal Audit Activity report for 2023/24. The Committee agreed that the Cyber Security audit on the recommendation tracker should now be treated as complete.

RESOLVED that the Audit and Standards Committee reviewed the outcomes of the work of the Internal Audit service for the period April to June 2023 and identified any issues for further consideration.

Any references arising from meetings held after the publication of this agenda will be circulated separately.

None.

To deal with any matters of an urgent nature.

None.