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Audit Committee

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Information about Audit Committee

The Audit Committee considers the council’s annual accounts, audits of council services, the council’s risk management, and anti-fraud functions.

 

Members

5 voting councillors

 

Quorum

3 Members of the Committee

 

Political proportionality

3 Administration members

1 Opposition member

1 Independent member

 

Co-opted Members

The Committee may co-opt non-voting independent members as appropriate

 

Membership

The Chair will be drawn from one of the Administration Councillors; the Vice-Chair will be an Opposition Councillor.

 

The Committee may co-opt non-voting independent members as appropriate.

 

The Committee may ask the Head of Internal Audit, a representative of External Audit, the Risk Management Consultant, Assistant Director (Business Support) and any other official of the organisation to attend any of its meetings to assist it with its discussions on any particular matter.

 

The Chief Executive may ask the Committee to convene further meetings to discuss particular issues on which the Committee’s advice is sought.

 

Voting

All Councillors on the Committee shall have voting rights. In the event of an equality of votes, the Chair of the Committee shall have a second casting vote. Where the Chair is not in attendance, the Vice-Chair will take the casting vote.

 

Procedures

Except as provided herein, Council Procedure Rules (as applicable to all Committees) shall apply in all other respects to the conduct of the Committee.

 

Meetings of the Committee shall be held in public, subject to the provisions for considering exempt items in accordance with sections 100A-D of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

 

Meetings

The Audit Committee will meet at least four times a year.Meetings will generally take place in the spring, summer, autumn, and winter. The Chair of the Committee may convene additional meetings as necessary.

 

Reporting

The Audit Committee will formally report back in writing to the full Council at least annually.

 

Responsibilities

 

The Audit Committee will advise the Executive on:

·       the strategic processes for risk, control and governance and the Statement on Internal Control;

·       the accounting policies and the annual accounts of the organisation, including the process for review of the accounts prior to submission for audit, levels of error identified, and management’s letter of representation to the external auditors;

·       the planned activity and results of both internal and external audit;

·       the adequacy of management responses to issues identified by audit activity, including the external auditor’s annual letter

·       the Chief Internal Auditor’s annual assurance report and the annual report of the External Auditors. 

·       assurances relating to the corporate governance requirements for the organisation;

·       (where appropriate) proposals for tendering for either Internal or External Audit services or for purchase of non-audit services from contractors who provide audit services.

 

The Committee’s responsibilities in relation to the annual accounts will include:

·       to approve the Council’s Statement of Accounts, in accordance with the deadlines set out in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003;

·       acting as the Approval of Accounts Committee;

·       to consider any report as necessary from the External Auditor under Statement of Auditing Standard 610;

·       to re-approve the Council’s Statement of Accounts following any amendments arising from the external audit, in accordance with the deadlines set out in the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2003.

 

The Committee’s responsibilities in relation to risk management will encompass the oversight of all risk analysis and risk assessment, risk response, and risk monitoring. This includes:

·       the establishment of risk management across the organisation, including partnerships;

·       awareness of the Council’s risk appetite and tolerance;

·       reviewing the risk portfolio (including IT risks);

·       being appraised of the most significant risks;

·       determining whether management’s response to risk and changes in risk are appropriate.

 

The Council has nominated the Committee to be responsible for the effective scrutiny of the Treasury Management Strategy and policies.

 

The Council has nominated the Committee to be responsible for the effective scrutiny of anti-fraud arrangements and activities.