Committee details

The Audit Committee oversees the Council’s Internal Audit arrangements and will:

·         Approve the Internal Audit Charter, the Annual Audit Plan, and the performance standards for the Internal Audit Service

·         Review key findings and issues from internal audit reports and ensure that management takes necessary actions

·         Assess and agree on improvements to prevent fraud and corruption in the organisation

·         Consider the Chief Internal Auditor's annual report

·         Evaluate the Council’s activities and procedures to ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively, providing good value for money to taxpayers

·         Review the effectiveness of the Internal Audit system each year to meet legal requirements and comply with Public Sector Internal Audit Standards

The Committee will also monitor the implementation of any suggested improvements when needed. It will oversee the Council’s relationship with the External Auditor, including reviewing the External Audit Plan, the external auditor’s Audit Completion Report, and other relevant reports from the External Auditor (except for Public Interest reports and Statutory Recommendation reports made under Section 24 Schedule 7 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014). The Committee will also address any issues that come up during the audit of the Annual Statement of Accounts.

The Committee will oversee independent reviews by the Financial Reporting Council regarding Financial Procedure Rules and Contract Procedure Rules and recommend any necessary changes to these documents.

It will carry out various activities related to corporate governance, such as approving the local code of corporate governance, assessing how effective the Council's governance arrangements are, reviewing the Annual Governance Statement, and checking the Council's progress in addressing risks identified during the preparation of financial statements.

The Committee will work with the Standards Committee on any issues related to the Codes of Conduct for both Members and Officers.

It will review how partnerships and projects are governed within the Council, monitor compliance with data protection laws, review the annual Treasury Management Strategy and related policies, and make recommendations to the responsible body.

It will review Treasury Management reports and suggest any updates or changes to procedures as needed.

The Audit Committee will evaluate how effective the Authority’s Risk Management arrangements are and assess how well the Information Governance policies and procedures are working receiving updates on important issues from the Council’s Senior Information Risk Owner.