Contact your Parish Council
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Audit, Governance & Standards Committee |
28 September 2021 |
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Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report |
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Final Decision-Maker |
Audit, Governance & Standards Committee |
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Lead Head of Service |
Rich Clarke – Head of Mid Kent Audit |
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Lead Officer and Report Author |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Classification |
Public |
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Wards affected |
N/A |
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Executive Summary |
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Based on the activity during the year, the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee can demonstrate it has appropriately and effectively fulfilled its duties during 2020/21. The report details how the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee has effectively discharged those duties and set out the achievements of the Committee during the year. |
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Purpose of Report
Decision
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This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee: |
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1. That the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report for 2020/21 is agreed. 2. That the report is taken to a meeting of the Full Council to demonstrate how the Committee has discharged its duties. |
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Timetable |
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Meeting |
Date |
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Audit, Governance & Standards Committee |
28 September 2021 |
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Council |
29 September 2021 |
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Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report |
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1. CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS
The Audit, Governance & Standards Committee must obtain assurance on the control environment of the Council. The internal control environment comprises the whole network of systems and controls established to manage the Council and meet its objectives. It includes financial and other controls, and arrangements for ensuring the Council achieves value for money from its activities.
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Issue |
Implications |
Sign-off |
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Impact on Corporate Priorities |
We present this report for decision. The Audit, Governance & Standards Committee’s work supports all Council activity and the wider Corporate Priorities in evaluating governance. |
Rich Clarke – Head of Mid Kent Audit |
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Cross Cutting Objectives |
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Risk Management |
The report introduces no risks that require separate description in the Council’s risk registers, nor materially impacts any currently described. |
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Financial |
There are no additional costs or savings associated with this proposal. |
Mark Green – Director Of Finance & Business Improvement |
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Staffing |
There are no staffing implications associated with this proposal |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Legal |
There are no legal implications identified in the report. The report demonstrates that measures are in place to ensure good governance arrangements which enable the Council to meet statutory requirements. |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Privacy and Data Protection |
There are no direct privacy or data protection implications associated with this report. |
Policy and Information Team |
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Equalities |
There are no direct equalities implications associated with this report |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Public Health
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There are no direct public health implications associated with this report. |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Crime and Disorder |
There are no direct crime and disorder implications associated with this report. |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
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Procurement |
There are no direct procurement implications associated with this report. |
Mark Green – Director of Finance & Business Improvement |
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Biodiversity and Climate Change |
There are no direct biodiversity and climate change implications associated with this report. |
Jen Warrillow – Audit Manager |
2. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
2.1 The Audit, Governance & Standards Committee is required to monitor audit activity (internal and external), review and comment on the effectiveness of the Council’s regulatory framework and review and approve the Council’s annual statements of accounts and scrutinise associated strategy and policy. This report sets out how this has been achieved during 2019/20.
3. AVAILABLE OPTIONS
3.1 The production and presentation of an annual report is required by the Committee’s terms of reference. Therefore, no other alternative options can be recommended.
4. PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
4.1 This report provides the Council with assurance that important governance, risk and standards issues are monitored and addressed.
4.2 Our recommendation is for the Committee to agree the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report (Appendix A), subject to any comments and amendments. In accordance with the Terms of Reference, that the Chairman of the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee then provides the report to a meeting of full Council setting out how the committee has discharged its duties.
5. RISK
5.1 The risks associated with this proposal, including the risks if the Council does not act as recommended, have been considered in line with the Council’s Risk Management Framework. We are satisfied that the risks associated are within the Council’s risk appetite and will be managed as per the Policy.
6. CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK
6.1 This report has been compiled through consultation between Officers and the Chairman of the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee.
7. NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION
7.1 The report will be presented to Full Council in accordance with this Committee’s Terms of Reference.
8. REPORT APPENDICES
The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:
· Appendix 1: Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report
9. BACKGROUND PAPERS
None