Issue - meetings

This report presents the Annual Report of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee 2025-2026 in accordance with the requirement of Paragraph 7.2 of Annex 4.6 of the Council’s Operating Framework. It covers the work of the Committee between March 2025 and February 2026, and following agreement by the Committee, will be submitted to the next available agenda for Full Council.

The Committee received the Annual Report of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee 2025-2026 in accordance with the requirement of Paragraph 7.2 of Annex 4.6 of the Council’s Operating Framework. It covered the work of the Committee between March 2025 and February 2026.

a)    Members commented that the annual plan did not give enough credit to the work that committee had done on increasing transparency. Another Member requested an additional bullet point be inserted at paragraph 3.3 to read:-

“At the September 2025 meeting, the committee received a report on management's expanded commentary on the auditor's findings after having resolved to receive such a report at the March 2025 meeting.”

This was seconded and unanimously agreed by Committee.

b)             It was also proposed, seconded and unanimously agreed to amend the conclusion to include:

“the Audit and Scrutiny Committee had carried out most of its work programme and wished to record its thanks to all those who contributed to its work. It was noted that some items on the work programme had not been progressed due to resource constraints and local government reform.”

c)             That the date of the council meeting the annual report will go to (July 2026) to be inserted as it would not go to the Annual Council in May.

d)             March meeting attendees to be amended as Jan Mason did not attend.

Following consideration, it was unanimously resolved to:

(1)       Note the Annual Report of the Audit and Scrutiny Committee 2025-2026 (Appendix 1) and recommend submission to Full Council with the insertion of the agreed amendments.

(1)       Confirm the effectiveness of Internal Audit as per Section 2.7 of Appendix 1.