1
The Audit
and Standards Committee was established at the Annual Council
meeting on 24 May 2012. Its role is two-fold:
1.1.
Audit
a)
The
Committee oversees the Council's Internal Audit and risk functions;
receives and approves External Audit reports; scrutinises the
Annual Statement of Accounts; makes reports and recommendations to
the Cabinet, Committees and the Council
as a whole on the adequacy of its corporate governance and risk
management arrangements and the associated control
environment.
1.2.
Standards
a)
The
Committee deals with a range of matters including issues concerning
Councillors' conduct, provides advice and guidance to the Council,
the Cabinet and individual Councillors and advises on the
application and review of the Constitution.
2
Statement of
Purpose
2.1.
The
committee’s purpose is to provide an independent and
high-level focus on the adequacy of governance, risk and control arrangements. Its role in ensuring
there is sufficient assurance over governance, risk and control
gives greater confidence to all those charged with governance that
those arrangements are effective.
2.2.
The
committee has oversight of both Internal and External Audit,
together with the financial and governance reports, helping to
ensure there are adequate arrangements in place for both internal
challenge and public accountability.
2.3.
The Terms
of Reference of the Audit and Standards Committee are as
follows:
3
Terms of reference
3.1.
Maintenance
of governance, risk and control
arrangements
a)
Support a
comprehensive understanding of governance across the Council and
among all those charged with governance, fulfilling the principles
of good governance.
b)
Consider
the effectiveness of the Council’s risk management
arrangements. It should understand the risk profile of the Council
and seek assurances that active arrangements are in place on
risk-related issues, for both the Council and its collaborative
arrangements.
c)
Monitor the
effectiveness of the system of internal control, including
arrangements for financial management, ensuring value for money,
supporting standards and ethics and
managing the Council’s exposure to the risks of fraud and
corruption.
3.2.
Financial
and governance reporting
a)
Consider
the arrangements in place to secure adequate assurance across the
Council’s full range of operations and collaborations with
other entities.
b)
In relation
to the Council’s Internal Audit functions:
i)
Oversee its
independence, objectivity, performance
and conformance to professional standards.
ii)
Support
effective arrangements for Internal Audit.
iii)
Promote the
effective use of Internal Audit within the assurance
framework.
d)
Contribute
to the operation of efficient and effective External Audit
arrangements, supporting the independence of auditors and promoting
audit quality.
3.3.
Standards
a)
Promoting and
maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors and co-opted persons of
Committees.
b)
Assisting Councillors and co-opted persons of Committees to
observe the Code of Conduct.
c)
Advising the Council
on the adoption or revision of the Code of Conduct.
d)
Monitoring the
operation of the Code of Conduct.
e)
Advising and/or
censuring and/or imposing a sanction on a Councillor or co-opted
person of a Committee (or former
Councillor or co-opted person) of the Council.
f)
Having oversight of all aspects of Councillor
development.
g)
Receiving
annual reports in a monitoring and guidance role on whistle
blowing, bullying and harassment.
h)
Being fully
involved in any ethical review of the Council or its
activities.
4
Chairing
4.1.
Full Council will appoint the Chair and the Vice
Chair of the Committee.
4.2.
The Audit and Standards Committee has one permanent
Sub Committee, the Hearing Sub Committee.