The Minutes of the meeting held on 23 January 2024 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

This report updates the Committee with progress on completion of the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2020/21.  It also provides an update on the 2021/22 and 2022/23 accounts.

The Committee received a report on the progress of the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2020/21.  The report also gave a progress update on the 2021/22 and 2022/23 accounts.  In future, the accounts would be signed off by Council, with the Audit and Governance Committee playing a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

A representative from the Council’s External Auditor EY will present an update on the audit of 2020/21 financial statements and provide an update with regard to the following year’s statements and Value for Money assessments.

The Committee received a covering report on behalf of the Council’s External Auditor, EY, providing an update on the audit of 2020/21 financial statements and the following year’s statements and Value for Money assessments.  Maria Grindley was present and addressed the Committee on the completion of the audit of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 38.

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

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the key findings emanating from the Internal Audit reports issued for the period 1 January to 31 March 2024 (Quarter 4).

The report summarised the findings, recommendations and management actions that had been put forward for each audit review and stated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 39.

This report sets out a summary of those high and medium risk Internal Audit recommendations which remain outstanding together with an updated management response.

The Committee considered a report setting out a summary of Internal Audit recommendations and updated management responses, which focused on those recommendations where there had been either a ‘limited’ or ‘no assurance’ opinion.  A summary of Internal Audit recommendations and updated management responses since the last Committee was attached to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 40.

This report sets out the work Internal Audit plans to undertake during the financial year 2024/2025.

The Committee considered a report setting out the work Internal Audit was planning to undertake during the financial year 2024/2025.  The report explained that internal audit was responsible for providing an annual formal opinion on the Council’s control environment.  The Audit Plan, which was attached at Appendix 1 to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 41.

This report provides the latest update on the Strategic Risk Register 2023/24.

The Committee considered a report outlining the updates to the Strategic Risk Register (SRR), in line with the requirements of the Council’s Risk Management Strategy. A copy of the SRR was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The Risk Register covered the actions completed by the Council for January  ...  view the full minutes text for item 42.

A report on the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy Financial Management Code, which sets out the standards of financial management for local authorities to assess themselves against.

The Committee considered a report on the Financial Management Code 2019 (FM Code) (Appendix 1), which had been introduced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA).  The Code set out the standards of financial management for local authorities.  Local authorities had been expected to comply fully with the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 43.

This report updates Members on the activity of the Treasury Management function during the third quarter of the year for the period 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023.

The Committee considered a report on the activity of the Treasury Management function during the third quarter of the year for the period 1^st October 2023 to 31^st December 2023.  The report stated that the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management 2021 recommended that the Committee should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 44.

This report provides an update on the actions in progress to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes around Information Governance.

The Committee considered a report outlining the action underway to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes for Information Governance following several limited assurance reports in this area.

The report provided an update on: the action being taken to address the backlog of Subject Access Requests; the on-time responses to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 45.