Issue - meetings

The Interim Head of Internal Audit presented the Committee’s Annual Report 2021/22.  It was noted that:

·  The production and presentation of an Annual Report was required by the Committee’s Terms of Reference.  The purpose of the report was to outline where the Committee had gained assurance during the year, particularly over areas of governance, risk management, Standards, and internal control.

·  The report concluded that based on the activity during the year, the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee could demonstrate that it had appropriately and effectively fulfilled its duties during 2021/22.  The Committee had continued to work in partnership with the Council’s Internal and External Auditors and to receive support from Officers.  This had provided robust and effective independent assurance to the Council on a wide range of risk, governance and internal control issues

·  The Committee’s terms of reference in relation to the promotion and maintenance of high standards of Councillor and Officer conduct had been inadvertently omitted from the report but would be included in the version to be reported to the Council.

During the discussion, it was suggested and agreed that:

A paragraph should be included within the Chairman’s introduction to the report expressing the Committee’s disappointment with the failure of Grant Thornton, the External Auditor, to complete the audit of the 2020/21 accounts, on which their opinion remained outstanding as at September 2022; and

The Parish Representatives should be included in the final paragraph of the Chairman’s introduction to the report to thank them for their support over the last year.

In response to a question, the Interim Head of Internal Audit undertook to include reference to Members who had substituted at meetings of the Committee in future Annual Reports.

RESOLVED:  That subject to:

The inclusion within the Chairman’s introduction to the report of a paragraph expressing the Committee’s disappointment with the failure of Grant Thornton, the External Auditor, to complete the audit of the 2020/21 accounts, on which their opinion remained outstanding as at September 2022;

The addition of the Parish Representatives to the final paragraph of the Chairman’s introduction to the report to thank them for their support over the last year; and

The inclusion of the Committee’s terms of reference in relation to the promotion and maintenance of high standards of Councillor and Officer conduct,

the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee Annual Report to Council 2021/22, which demonstrates how the Committee discharged its duties during 2021/22, be approved for submission to the Council.