Issue - meetings

(Chairman of the Audit & Governance Committee) To consider the attached report recommending that the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee for 2022/23 be noted.

The Chairman of the Audit & Governance Committee, Cllr P Bolton, presented the Audit & Governance Committee Annual Report for 2022/23.

The Finance & Economic Development Portfolio Holder, Cllr J Philip, thanked the Audit & Governance Committee for their work throughout the 2022/23 municipal year.

            Resolved:

(1)        That the Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee for 2022/23 be noted.

S Marsh, the Chief Internal Auditor, presented the Audit & Governance Committee Annual Report for 2022/23, which aimed to show that the Committee had supported the Council in maintaining a high standard of corporate governance. It was a recommendation of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) that the Committee should report an assessment of its performance to the Council on an annual basis, and the Committee was requested to agree that the report should be referred to the Council for approval.

S Marsh reported that the Committee had undertaken a review of its effectiveness at a workshop in March 2023. The result of the review was that the Committee could demonstrate compliance with recommended best practice, however there were four minor areas for improvement identified and an action plan to address these had been drawn up.

The report also reviewed the Committee’s Terms of reference and its compliance with the guidance issued by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) in 2022. Minor changes had been suggested and the Committee was requested to agree these changes and refer them to the Council for final approval.

            Resolved:

            (1)        That the Annual Report of the Audit and Governance Committee for             2022/23 be agreed and referred to the Council for approval;

(2)        That the proposed changes to the Committee’s Terms of Reference be agreed and referred to the Council for final approval; and

(3)        That the review of the effectiveness of the Audit and Governance Committee be noted, alongside the resulting Action Plan.