The Audit, Finance & Performance Committee of Hillingdon Council met on Thursday 14 May 2026. During the meeting, Councillor Henry Higgins was elected as Vice-Chair of the committee. The committee also noted updates on the Governance Review Improvement Plan and the Forward Plan, and discussed the work programme.

Governance Review Improvement Plan Update

The committee received an update on the Governance Review Improvement Plan (GRIP), which aims to strengthen governance, improve accountability, and enhance financial resilience across the council. Progress has been made in financial governance, including strengthened spend controls and improvements to systems like Oracle. Directorate-level progress has enhanced the use of performance, financial, and risk data through integrated reporting and dashboards. Constitutional updates have been approved, with further minor changes planned.

Members welcomed the progress but requested clearer reporting and greater assurance in some areas, suggesting the report could be simplified. They also asked for more detail on service delivery models, a summary of the Lawyers in Local Government report, and greater transparency around governance arrangements. Officers stated that work on service delivery models is ongoing and a summary of the Lawyers in Local Government report would be shared. The establishment of the Improvement Board is pending, and reporting arrangements will be confirmed once it is in place.

Regarding the Oracle system, officers explained that the main risks relate to embedding new processes and improving data quality. The council's primary concern remains addressing a £50 million budget gap and achieving financial sustainability. Discussions also covered training, culture, and accountability, with officers confirming that mandatory training, clearer ownership by budget managers, and improved reporting would support cultural change and stronger governance. An integrated approach to debt management is being introduced, alongside improvements in data accuracy and forecasting. The committee noted that continued improvement in delivering savings and optimising system usage remains important. The committee resolved to note the update to the Governance Review Improvement Plan.

Election of Vice Chair

Councillor Henry Higgins was elected as the Vice-Chair of the Audit, Finance & Performance Committee for the 2026/27 municipal year.

Forward Plan and Work Programme

The committee noted the Forward Plan. Members also agreed to submit suggestions for future work programme topics, including areas for ongoing monitoring and more detailed review. Key items such as the internal audit report for Q4, the Annual Governance Statement, and council companies were requested for inclusion in the work programme. The committee resolved to note the work programme.