The Governance & Assurance Committee of Redbridge Council met on Monday 29 June 2026 to review the Council's governance, financial management, and audit reports for the past year. The committee was scheduled to discuss the draft annual reports for the committee itself and the Annual Governance Statement, alongside updates on internal audit activities, financial management code self-assessments, and the strategic risk register. External audit planning reports for both the Council and the Pension Fund were also on the agenda.

Draft Governance and Assurance Committee Annual Report for 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to review a draft of its own annual report for the 2025/26 period. This report, prepared in line with good practice recommended by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)¹, was intended to outline how the committee had fulfilled its terms of reference, assess its own effectiveness, and detail conclusions and actions arising from that review. The report was also to include a proposed action plan for 2026/27. The recommendation was for the committee to review the draft report and action plan, and consider its submission to Full Council.

2025/26 CIPFA Financial Management Code Self-Assessment

A report was scheduled to be presented detailing the outcome of the Council's self-assessment against CIPFA's Financial Management (FM) Code². This code sets standards for financial management in local authorities, aiming to support good practice and demonstrate financial sustainability. The assessment was expected to summarise the Council's compliance with the Code's 17 standards, identifying areas of full compliance, partial compliance, and any areas of non-compliance. The recommendation was for the committee to note the outcomes of this self-assessment.

Annual Internal Audit Report 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to receive the Annual Internal Audit Report from the Head of Internal Audit and Investigations for 2025/26. This report was to provide an overall opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council's framework of governance, risk management, and internal control, based on the work undertaken during the year. The report was also to include statements on the Internal Audit service's conformance with Public Sector Internal Audit Standards³ and the results of its quality assurance and improvement programme. The recommendation was for the committee to note the Head of Internal Audit's overall opinion and the annual report.

Annual Audit Results Report 2024/25 - Action Plan Update

This report was scheduled to provide an update on the progress made in addressing recommendations from EY, the Council's external auditor, concerning the 2024/25 Statement of Accounts. Some of these recommendations had been converted into statutory recommendations by EY and considered by Full Council, with the Governance and Assurance Committee delegated the task of monitoring their implementation. The report was to detail the progress on these recommendations. The recommendation was for the committee to note the report.

Draft Annual Governance Statement for 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to review a draft of the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2025/26. This public report, which forms part of the Annual Statement of Accounts, is required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015⁴ and must align with the CIPFA/SOLACE Delivering Good Governance in Local Government Framework⁵. The AGS details how the Council has monitored and evaluated its governance arrangements, outlines actions taken to resolve issues from the previous year's statement, and proposes further enhancements for the upcoming year. The committee's role was to review the draft and provide comments and proposed amendments for the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive's consideration before they sign the statement.

Internal Audit and Counter Fraud 2026/27 Q1 Update

An update on Internal Audit and Counter Fraud activities for the first quarter of 2026/27 was scheduled for discussion. This report was to include the outcomes of completed Internal Audit work, highlighting any areas where limited or no assurance was provided over governance, risk management, or control arrangements. It was also to detail management's progress in implementing red and critical risk recommendations. The recommendation was for the committee to note the update, management's progress on recommendations, and consider responses for any outstanding red-rated recommendations.

Redbridge Audit Planning Report and Pension Fund Audit Planning Report for the year ended 31 March 2026

The committee was scheduled to receive provisional audit planning reports from EY, the Council's external auditor, for both the Council's 2025/26 financial statements and the Redbridge Pension Fund's 2025/26 financial statements. These reports were to outline the auditors' approach and scope for the upcoming audits, including identified risks and planned audit strategies. A representative from EY was expected to present these reports. The recommendation was for the committee to note and comment on the audit planning arrangements.

2026/27 Strategic Risk Register Quarter 1

A report detailing the risks within the Council's Strategic Risk Register for the first quarter of 2026/27 was scheduled for review. This report was to include details of changes in controls and risk scoring, with risks categorised by RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status. The committee was asked to note and consider the current Strategic Risk Register and its updates.

Work Programme

Finally, the committee was scheduled to review its work programme for 2026/27, as attached in Appendix 1. The recommendation was for the committee to note this forward plan.

¹ CIPFA is the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, a professional body for accountants working in the public sector. ² The CIPFA Financial Management (FM) Code sets out standards for financial management in local authorities. ³ Public Sector Internal Audit Standards are a set of professional standards for internal audit functions in the public sector. ⁴ The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 are statutory regulations governing the audit of local authority accounts in England. ⁵ The CIPFA/SOLACE Delivering Good Governance in Local Government Framework provides guidance on good governance principles for local authorities.