Agenda

To confirm, as being a correct record, the minutes of the Audit Committee, held on 25 September 2025, and for them to be signed by the Chair.

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency.  The Chair to rule on the admission of such items.

To receive any declarations of interest.

The purpose of this report is to enable the Audit Committee to comment on the draft capital strategy and treasury management policy. The strategy and policy will go on to Policy and Resources Committee and then on to Budget Council on 24^th February 2026 and covers the medium term (2026/27 to 2028/29).  The tables reflect the current financial year position as at Period 6 monitoring and will be updated for Policy and Resources Committee.

Recommendation

That the report is noted and any recommendations are made to be considered by the Director of Finance and Policy and Resources Committee to allow the final strategy to be approved by Budget Council in February 2026.

The Treasury Management mid-year report is prepared in compliant with CIPFA’s Code of Practice on Treasury Management and covers performance against the Council’s Capital Strategy and Treasury Management Policy. The report is presented to the Audit Committee as the body delegated by Council to undertake the role of scrutiny of treasury management strategy and policies. The report covers the period from 1^st April to 30^th September 2025.

The Council receives Treasury Management Advice under a contract with Arlingclose limited.

Recommendation

The committee is invited to note the Treasury Management Mid-Year Report 2025-26.

This report details:

a)     Progress made by the Shared Internal Audit Service (SIAS) in delivering the Council’s annual audit plan for 2025/26 as at 14 November 2025.

b)     Proposed amendments to the approved 2025/26 Annual Audit Plan.

c)     Implementation status of all previously agreed audit recommendations from 2019/20 onwards.

d)     An update on performance management information as at 14 November 2025.

Recommendation

For Members to:

• Note the Internal Audit Progress Report for the period to 14 November 2025
• Approve amendments to the Audit Plan as at 14 November 2025
• Agree changes to the implementation date for 8 audit recommendations (paragraph 2.5) for the reason set out in Appendices 3 to 5
• Agree removal of implemented audit recommendations (Appendices 3 to 5)

This Auditor’s Annual Report provides a summary of the findings and key issues arising from our audit of the Council for 2024/25. This report has been prepared in line with the requirements set out in the Code of Audit Practice and supporting guidance published by the National Audit Office and is required to be published by the Authority alongside the annual report and accounts.

This report advises the Committee on the latest position in respect of the evaluation of financial risks facing the Council for discussion and any recommendations or comments they wish to make.

Recommendation

That the Committee review the risk register and make any comments it wishes to make against individual risks.

That the Committee consider and makes necessary changes to its Work Programme.

If any confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional item(s) and a resolution be passed in the following terms:

“that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under the respective paragraphs 1 to 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.”