The General Purposes and Audit Committee was scheduled to consider a review of electoral arrangements in Bexley, a proposed revision to the Performance, Wellbeing and Development (PWD) appraisal scheme, and updates on internal audit and counter fraud activities. The committee was also scheduled to receive reports on the council's debt and debt recovery, and a review of audit outcomes titled From Reset to Recovery.

Review of Electoral Arrangements in Bexley

The committee was scheduled to be informed about the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's (LGBCE) initiation of a review into the electoral and boundary arrangements for Bexley. This review is part of the LGBCE's statutory duty to ensure electoral equality, effective local government, and warding arrangements that reflect local communities. The report outlined the legal basis for the review, its scope, an indicative timetable, and the governance and engagement arrangements for the council's submissions. The committee was asked to note the commencement of the review and endorse the proposed governance arrangements. A decision on the council's final submission was scheduled to be brought back to the committee in January 2027.

Proposed Revision to the Performance, Wellbeing and Development (PWD) Appraisal Scheme

A report was scheduled to be presented seeking the committee's approval in principle for a revised Performance, Wellbeing and Development (PWD) appraisal scheme. This revision is considered a key element in implementing the council's Delivery Framework, particularly its performance and accountability frameworks, and fostering culture change for transformation and financial sustainability. The proposed changes, intended for launch in April 2027, include a simplified appraisal record, a revised structure for appraisal discussions, a move to three review points per year, the development of professional standards frameworks, a shift from a 4-rating to a 5-rating system, and strengthened moderation of objectives and appraisal scores. The committee was to note the outcomes of staff workshops and formal consultation with trade unions, and authorise the Deputy Director HR, Customer Services and Digital to finalise the scheme subject to collective agreement.

From Reset to Recovery - Local Government Audit Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on Ernst & Young's (EY) perspective on local government audits across England for the 2024/25 financial year. The report was to cover the impact of the statutory audit reset process and observations on the drivers of successful recovery. It was noted that while the reset had largely cleared the historic audit backlog and restored the publication of financial statements, this had come at the cost of assurance, with a widespread use of disclaimed opinions. The challenge had therefore shifted from restoring delivery to rebuilding trust. The report was expected to detail the council's progress in relation to the timeline set out by the National Audit Office (NAO) for audit recovery, indicating that Bexley's progress was in line with expected timescales and positioned it favourably compared to its peers.

Internal Audit & Counter Fraud Progress Reports Q2 2026/27

An update on internal audit and counter fraud activities was scheduled to be presented. For internal audit, the report was to cover progress on completing the 2025/26 plan and continuing the 2026/27 plan, including the hiring of an audit apprentice and a change to the internal audit plan, replacing a post-Ofsted inspection audit with a SEND follow-up. For counter fraud, the report was to provide an update on activities for the period July to September 2026, detailing the number of new cases logged and closed, including potential Blue Badge frauds, homelessness applications, and housing frauds. The committee was asked to note the report, support the work of the teams, and approve any changes to the internal audit plan and the second year of the three-year internal audit strategy.

Risk Management Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on how risk is managed at Bexley Council and the current activities undertaken. A Risk Management Policy had been approved in March 2026 and was in the process of being uploaded to the council's intranet. The report indicated that the Strategic Risk Register had been reviewed by the Corporate Leadership Team since the July committee meeting, with no changes to the risks included or their scoring. Directorate risk registers were scheduled to be reviewed and updated by the end of October 2026, with workshops planned to document and challenge key risks.

Debt and Debt Recovery

A report was scheduled to set out the main types of debt owed to the council, the overall levels of debt, and the recovery processes in place for various debt categories. The report was to detail the bad debt provision set aside, with a forecast indicating a potential top-up requirement for the General Fund. It was to provide a summary of outstanding debt, including sundry debts, Housing Benefit overpayments, emergency accommodation arrears, parking charges, commercial rents, traveller site fees, Council Tax, Business Rates, and ASC sundry debt. The report was also to highlight the top 10 debtors across different categories and provide an update on legal actions being pursued for Council Tax and Business Rates. The committee was asked to note the position in relation to debt and debt recovery.