Governance and Audit Committee

Governance and Audit Committee

Membership:

6 Councillors (politically balanced) plus

3 Independent / Lay Member

•          To approve authority's statement of accounts, income and expenditure and balance sheet or record of receipts and payments (as the case may be).

•          Ensure the risk management strategy guides the programme of internal and external work, to address the controls and risk related issues identified

•          Oversee the production of the annual governance statement, recommend its adoption to County Council and ensure appropriate action is taken to address the issues raised

•          To consider and approve the annual audit opinion on internal control and the level of assurance given to the corporate governance arrangements

•          Approve the annual audit plan, ensuring there is sufficient and appropriate coverage, with a strong emphasis on risk management and resources are available to implement the plan.

•            Receive and review internal audit reports and ensure officers respond promptly to the findings. Where necessary recommendations to other committees and portfolio holders will be made, to ensure action plans are implemented

•            Consider and approve the annual letter, regulatory plan and specific reports as agreed.

•            Where necessary ensure action is taken by officers to address those issues raised, and if necessary recommendations to other committees and portfolio holders will be made to address findings and deliver clear conclusions

•            Comment on the scope and depth of the external audit work, to ensure it gives value for money

•            Assess and approve the annual statement of accounts, external audit opinion and management representation in relation to annual audit findings

•            Promote effective relationships between external and internal audit, inspection agencies and other relevant bodies to ensure the value of audit and inspection is enhanced and actively promoted

•          regularly monitor treasury management reports

Local Government Measure 2011 (Section 81) as amended by the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Section 115)

•          review and scrutinise the authority's financial affairs

•          make reports and recommendations in relation to the authority's financial affairs

•          review and assess the risk management, internal control, performance assessment and corporate governance arrangements of the authority

•          make reports and recommendations to the authority on the adequacy and effectiveness of those arrangements

•          review and assess the authority's ability to handle complaints effectively

•          make reports and recommendations in relation to the authority's ability to handle complaints effectively

•          oversee the authority's internal and external audit arrangements, and

•          review the financial statements prepared by the authority

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Section 91)

·       Duty to review the Council's draft performance self assessment report and may make recommendations for changes to the conclusions or to anything included in the draft

·       Duty to review the Council's draft response of the panel performance assessment and may make recommendations for changes to the statements made

·       Duty to consider the report of the Auditor General following a special inspection

·       Duty to review the Council's draft response to the report of the Auditor General and may make recommendations for changes to the statement made