Committee details

Shall comprise of 6 members of the Council.

The Audit Committee shall meet a minimum of 4 times a year and in accordance with the cycle of meetings approved annually by the Council.

Terms of Reference

The functions of the Audit Committee shall be to exercise the audit powers of the Council in relation to:

External Audit:

(i)      To consider the Head of Internal Audit’s annual report and opinion, and a summary of Internal Audit activity (actual and proposed) and the level of assurance it can give over the Council’s governance arrangements.

(ii)     To consider summaries of specific Internal Audit reports as requested.

(iii)    To consider reports dealing with the management and performance of the providers of Internal Audit Services.

(iv)    To consider a report from Internal Audit on agreed recommendations not implemented within a reasonable timescale.

(v)     To consider the External Auditor’s Annual Letter, relevant reports, and the report to those charged with governance.

(vi)    To consider specific reports as agreed with the External Auditor

(vii)   To comment on the scope and depth of external audit work and to ensure it gives value for money.

(viii)  To liaise with the Audit Commission over the appointment of the Council’s external auditor.

(ix)    To commission work from Internal and External Audit.

Regulatory Framework:

(x)     To maintain an overview of the Council’s Constitution in respect of contract procedure rules, financial regulations and codes of conduct and behaviour.

(xi)    To review any issue referred to it by the Chief Executive or a Corporate Director, or any Council body.

(xii)   To monitor the governance arrangements within the Council.

(xiii)  To monitor council policies on ‘Raising Concerns at Work’ and ‘Anti-fraud and corruption’.

(xiv)  To oversee the production of the Council’s Annual Governance Statement and to formally agree it.

(xv)   The Council’s arrangements for governance and agreeing necessary actions to ensure compliance with best practice.

(xvi)  The Council’s compliance with its own and other published standards and controls.

Accounts

(xvii) To review and approve the annual statement of accounts. Specifically to consider whether appropriate accounting policies have been followed and whether there are concerns arising from the financial statements or from the audit.

(xviii) To consider the External Auditor’s report to those charged with governance on issues arising from the audit of the accounts.

Support

(xix)  In order that the Audit Committee can exercise its audit powers properly it may require any senior officer to attend before the Audit Committee to answer questions within their remit and it is the duty of those persons to attend if so required”.