The Audit and Governance Committee of Croydon Council met on Thursday 25 June 2026 to review a range of important financial and governance matters. Key discussions were scheduled to include the recruitment of a new independent member, the annual treasury management review, and updates on internal and external audits. The committee was also set to consider the council's corporate risk management strategy and the internal audit plan for the upcoming year.

Audit and Governance Committee Independent Member Recruitment

The committee was asked to consider the appointment of Julieda Puig Pereira Paes as an independent co-opted non-voting member. The recruitment panel recommended her for the role, citing her extensive experience in financial services, public policy, and governance, including significant roles at HSBC and as a Non-Executive Director. The committee was asked to support this recommendation and propose her appointment to Full Council for a three-year term, subject to adherence to the Nolan Principles¹.

Annual Treasury Management Review 2025/26

This report provided a review of the Council's treasury management activities for the financial year 2025/26, in line with requirements from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)². It was scheduled to cover compliance with the Treasury Management Strategy Statement, Capital Strategy, and Annual Investment Strategy. The review was also set to detail borrowing and investment activities for the year, demonstrating adherence to the CIPFA Code on Treasury Management and Treasury Management in the Public Services guidance. The report was intended to inform recommendations to Cabinet and Full Council regarding the actual prudential and treasury indicators for 2025/26.

Internal Audit Progress Report (Up to 15 June 2026)

This report was intended to provide an update on the work completed by Internal Audit during the 2025/26 financial year and the progress made by the Council in resolving findings from previous audits. The report was expected to detail the assurance levels achieved across finalised audits and track the implementation of audit recommendations against set targets. It was also noted that work on the 2026/27 audit plan had been delayed due to the retendering of the Internal Audit Framework contract.

Internal Audit Plan 2026/27

The committee was asked to approve the proposed plan of audit work for 2026/27. This plan had been developed following feedback from the committee at a previous meeting, with additional detail provided on the justification for each planned audit and its link to the Council's risk profile. The plan aimed to provide assurance over the Council's risk management, control, and governance processes, with a focus on key corporate issues such as information governance, cyber security, contract management, and the transformation programme.

2025-26 External Audit Update

This report was scheduled to present feedback from Grant Thornton LLP, the Council's external auditors, on the 2024-25 audit and provide a progress update on the 2025-26 audit. It was also to outline Grant Thornton's proposed audit plans and fees for both the Council and the Pension Fund for 2025-26. A key element of this update was the Croydon Regaining Assurance Strategy June 2026, which detailed the approach to rebuilding audit assurance following previous disclaimed opinions³. The report indicated that while progress was being made, an unmodified audit opinion for 2025/26 was not anticipated.

Counter Fraud Annual Report 2025-26

This report was intended to provide an annual update on the progress and outcomes of the Council's counter fraud activities during the 2025/26 financial year. It was expected to detail internal investigations, highlight emerging themes such as dual working, and report on the effectiveness of participation in the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance Scheme (CIFAS) and the National Fraud Initiative (NFI). The report was also to outline proactive measures, such as tenancy fraud detection, and present the draft Counter Fraud Work Plan for 2026-27.

Corporate Risk Management

This report provided an overview of the Council's corporate risk register as of June 2026, aligned with the strategic outcomes of the Mayor's Business Plan⁴. It was intended to support the committee's oversight of risk management arrangements and the corporate risk profile. The report highlighted ongoing improvements in reporting and transparency, the introduction of inherent, residual, and future risk ratings, and the transfer of responsibility for the Risk Management Framework to the Performance and Programmes service. A review of the framework was underway to identify further strengthening opportunities. The report also noted that the corporate risk register was expected to be refined to focus on strategic risks.