The Audit and Governance Committee of Newham Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 27 October 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of proposed changes to the council's constitution stemming from new planning regulations, and a look ahead at the committee's work plan for the coming year.

Constitution Review and Planning Reforms

A significant item scheduled for discussion concerns proposed amendments to the Newham Constitution. These changes are linked to the implementation of the Town and Country Planning (Discharge of Local Planning Authority Functions) (England) Regulations 2026, which are set to come into effect on 31 October 2026. The report pack indicates that these reforms will alter how planning committees operate by replacing locally determined referral thresholds with nationally prescribed legislative criteria. Under the new arrangements, certain planning applications will be determined by officers, while others may only be referred to a committee if a specific Gateway test is met. The report pack notes that the majority of this framework originates from national legislation and government guidance, with local discretion primarily concerning whether certain applications should be referred to committee via the gateway process.

Year Ahead Forward Plan

The committee is also scheduled to review a draft of its Year Ahead Forward Plan. This document outlines the anticipated work and reports for the committee over the coming year. The previous meeting's minutes indicated that the committee's Chair and officers would review future committee workload and agenda planning.

Minutes of the Last Meeting and Actions Log

The committee is expected to confirm the minutes of its previous meeting, held on 14 October 2026. Additionally, an update on the current Action Log will be presented, detailing actions that are due to be closed at this meeting. The previous meeting's minutes noted that the Council Procedural Rules review was still undergoing consultation and was not yet ready for the agenda.

The Audit and Governance Committee is a non-executive body responsible for providing independent assurance on the council's risk management framework and internal control environment. It plays a key role in overseeing financial reporting and corporate governance arrangements. The committee's membership includes both elected councillors and independent members.