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Audit, Governance and Standards Committee

27 September 2022

 

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee Annual Report

 

Final Decision-Maker

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee

Lead Head of Service

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Internal Audit

Lead Officer and Report Author

Andy Billingham – Interim Audit Manager

Classification

Public

Wards affected

All

 

Executive Summary

 

Based on the activity during the year, the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee can demonstrate it has appropriately and effectively fulfilled its duties during 2021/22. The report details how the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee has effectively discharged those duties and sets out the achievements of the Committee during the year.

 

Purpose of Report

 

Decision

 

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

1.   That the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee Annual Report for 2021/22 is agreed.

2.   That the Council be recommended to note the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee Annual Report 2021/22 which demonstrates how the Committee discharged its duties during the last Municipal Year.

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee

27 September 2022

Full Council

28 September 2022



Audit, Governance and Standards Committee Annual Report

 

1.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

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.

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Audit Partnership

 

Cross Cutting Objectives

Risk Management

The report introduces no risks that require separate description in the Council’s risk registers, nor materially impacts any currently described.

Financial

There are no additional costs or savings associated with this proposal.

Mark Green – Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Staffing

There are no staffing implications associated with this proposal

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Audit Partnership

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.

Interim Team Leader (Contentious and Corporate Governance)

Privacy and Data Protection

There are no direct privacy or data protection implications associated with this report.

Policy and Information Team

Equalities

There are no direct equalities implications associated with this report.

Equalities & Communities Officer

Public Health

 

 

There are no direct public health implications associated with this report.

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Audit Partnership

 

Crime and Disorder

There are no direct crime and disorder implications associated with this report.

 

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Audit Partnership

 

Procurement

There are no direct procurement implications associated with this report.

Mark Green – Director of Finance & Business Improvement

Biodiversity and Climate Change

There are no direct biodiversity and climate change implications associated with this report.

Alison Blake – Interim Head of Audit Partnership

 

 

 

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 2021/22.

 

 

 

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, 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