Councillor Williams declared an interest in Item 5 as his son attended Alfred Sutton Primary School.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 8 April 2026 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This report updates the Committee and reports that the draft 2025/26 Statement of Account has been published on the Council’s website by the statutory deadline of 30 June 2026, the formal public inspection period will run from 1 July – 11 August 2026 and the Government has set a backstop date of 31 January 2027 for the external audit opinion to be issued on the 2025/26 Statement of Accounts.

The Committee received a report on the unaudited draft 2025/26 Statement of Accounts for Reading Borough Council, and the Reading Borough Council Group which included its subsidiaries Brighter Futures for Children (which ceased trading on 30 September 2025), Reading Transport Limited and Homes for Reading, which had been published on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

This report presents the annual assurance report of the Chief Auditor required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations and the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.

The Committee received a report setting out at Appendix 1 the Internal Audit and Investigations Annual Assurance Report of the Chief Auditor for 2025/26, as required by the Accounts and Audit regulations and the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.  The report gave the Chief Auditor’s opinion on the overall adequacy  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

This report provides an update on key findings emanating from Internal Audit reports issued since the last quarterly progress report.

The Committee received a report providing an update on the key findings from the Internal Audit reports issued for the period 1 April to 30 June 2026 (Quarter 1).

The report summarised the findings, recommendations and management actions that had been put forward for each audit review and stated the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

This report sets out a summary of progress against the management actions to address the internal audit recommendations for audits assigned a ‘limited’ or ‘no assurance’ opinion.

The Committee received a report setting out a summary of Internal Audit recommendations and updated management responses, which focused on those recommendations where there had been a ‘limited’ opinion.  There were currently no audits assigned a ‘no assurance’ opinion.  Appendix 1 to the report contained a summary of Internal Audit  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

Further to Minute 24 of the meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee on 21 January 2025, this report updates Committee on steps taken to introduce centralised and regularly updated registers of Officer Declarations of Interest and Gifts and Hospitality.

Further to Minute 24 (2) of the meeting held on 21 January 2025, the Committee considered a report giving an update on steps taken to introduce centralised and regularly updated registers of Officer Declarations of Interest and Gifts and Hospitality.

The report explained that, at a meeting of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

This report fulfils the requirement in the Treasury Management Strategy to produce an Annual Outturn Report to review the Treasury Management activity which took place from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026.

The Committee received a report on the Council’s Treasury Management Strategy and Annual Investment Strategy for 2025/26.  The Council had adopted a Treasury Management Strategy and an Annual Investment Strategy for 2025/26 at its meeting on 25th February 2025 and the Treasury Management Strategy required an Annual Outturn Report  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

A report on the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2025/26 for

publication with the Council’s financial statements.

The Committee considered a report setting out the draft 2025/26 Annual Governance Statement (AGS), which was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The Council was required to prepare and publish an AGS each year as an accompaniment to the authority’s financial statements.  The Council was responsible for ensuring that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

To consider the annual report, associated action plan, and detailed feedback on the Audit & Governance Committee’s performance and to endorse that the report represents a fair reflection of the year, prior to its submission to Council.

The Committee considered a report in line with CIPFA guidance which recommended that Audit Committees produced an annual report demonstrating how they had fulfilled their responsibilities and assessed their effectiveness. The report presented the Audit and Governance Committee’s Annual Report for 2025/26 (Appendix 1) alongside the detailed results of member  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.