Issue - meetings

To receive and consider the report of the Head of Audit and Risk.

Dawn Highton, Head of Audit and Risk presented her report which presented the latest CIPFA Position Statement: Audit Committees in Local Authorities and Police 2022 and CIPFA guidance – Audit Committees – Practical Guidance for Local Authorities and Police 2022. The report also presented proposals to assess the skills and knowledge of the Committee to ensure a comprehensive training plan can be developed.

The guidance represented best practice and CIPFA expected that all local authorities make their best efforts to adopt the principles contained within the guidance, aiming for effective audit/governance committee arrangements. Members noted that the guidance contained a suggested Terms of Reference and a Self-Assessment of good practice.

The Committee were requested to complete and return the self-assessment to Democratic Services by the 31 August 2023. The results of the self-assessment would be collated by Internal Audit and used to inform the Member Development Programme to ensure Members were in the best position to fulfil their role on the Committee. Both the Terms of Reference and Self-Assessment would be bought back to the Committee at the meeting in September for consideration.

Members were encouraged to have a look at the guidance and complete the self-assessment in order to make sure the correct training was being delivered to the Committee. It was also proposed that the Committee Members meet to consider the way the council approaches the governance process.

Resolved – That Committee considered the attached guidance would assist with the review of the skills and knowledge.