The Audit Committee of Ealing Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday, 24 September 2025, to discuss several key reports related to the council's financial management, risk assessment, and audit activities. These include updates on treasury management, external audits, internal audits, whistleblowing, and risk management, as well as a review of the Audit Committee's work. The meeting will also cover the committee's work plan for the first quarter.

Risk Management Update

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the council's risk management activities for the first quarter. This will likely include a review of the council's risk register and any emerging risks that need to be addressed. Risk management is a crucial aspect of local government, helping councils to identify and mitigate potential threats to their services and finances.

External Audit Update

The Audit Committee is expected to discuss the External Audit Update Report. This report will likely provide an update on the progress of the external audit of the council's financial statements. External audits are independent assessments of a council's financial records, providing assurance to the public that the council's finances are being managed properly. The council's external auditors are Forvis Mazars. The committee will also discuss the LB Ealing 2024-25 Audit Forvis Mazars Progress Report.

Treasury Management Update

The committee is scheduled to discuss the Treasury Management Update for the first quarter of 2025-2026. Treasury management involves the council's borrowing, lending, and investment activities. This update will likely provide an overview of the council's treasury management performance, including investment returns and borrowing costs. Prudent treasury management is essential for ensuring the council's financial stability and maximising returns on its investments.

Whistleblowing Update

The committee will receive a Whistleblowing Update for 2024/25. This update will likely provide information on the number and nature of whistleblowing reports received by the council, as well as the actions taken in response. Whistleblowing is an important mechanism for detecting and preventing fraud and other wrongdoing within the council.

Progress Report on Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud

The Audit Committee is expected to discuss the Progress Report on Internal Audit (IA) and Anti-Fraud (AF) for the first quarter. Internal audits are independent assessments of a council's internal controls and risk management processes. This report will likely provide an update on the work of the council's internal audit team, including the findings of recent audits and the implementation of audit recommendations.

Annual Report of the Audit Committee

The committee will consider the Annual Report of the Audit Committee. This report provides a summary of the committee's work over the past year, including its key achievements and challenges. The report is then scheduled to be sent to the Council.

Ealing Council Audit Committee Workplan

The Audit Committee is expected to review its work plan for the first quarter (Q1) of the year. This will likely involve setting priorities for the committee's work and allocating resources to different areas. The work plan helps to ensure that the committee is focusing on the most important issues and that its work is aligned with the council's overall objectives.

Other items

The agenda also includes items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and approval of the minutes of the previous meeting. These are standard items on the agenda of most council committees. The minutes from the meeting held on 24 July 2025 are scheduled to be approved.