The Audit and Standards Advisory Committee of Brent Council was scheduled to discuss a range of governance, financial, and operational matters. Key topics included an update on the council's self-referral to the Social Housing Regulator, a deep dive into the strategic risks presented by Artificial Intelligence, and an annual review of member complaints and the code of conduct.

Member Complaints and Code of Conduct

The committee was scheduled to review an annual report on complaints received under the Members' Code of Conduct Complaints procedure. This report, prepared by Marsha Henry, Director of Law, and Biancia Robinson, Principal Constitutional, Governance & Finance Lawyer, aimed to provide an overview of complaints received over the past 12 months and a review of the procedure itself. The report indicated that eight complaints had been received, with determinations made regarding six councillors. The procedure involves a two-stage assessment process: an Initial Assessment Stage and an Assessment Criteria Stage. The report noted that the council has limited powers against a member found to have breached the code, with available sanctions including censuring, reprimanding, or recommending removal from outside bodies or committees. No substantive changes to the Members' Code of Conduct Complaints Procedure were recommended as a result of this review.

Update on Progress Following Referral to Social Housing Regulator

A report from Spencer Randolph, Director of Housing Services, and Gary Mitchell, Head of Housing Management Property, was scheduled to update the committee on the progress made since the council's self-referral in April 2025 to the Regulator of Social Housing. The self-referral followed the identification of errors in the 'True Compliance' software, leading to around 12,500 fire actions being wrongly updated and issues with performance data on asbestos management, water safety, and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This resulted in the council being graded C3 by the Regulator of Social Housing, indicating serious failings requiring significant improvements. The report detailed the appointment of health and safety advisors, an independent forensic audit by Caldiston Ltd, and the development of a robust action plan. It also highlighted ongoing improvement work, including expediting fire risk assessment actions, rebuilding the 'True Compliance' and NEC asset register, recruitment of compliance staff, and the establishment of a Housing & Tenant Satisfaction Improvement Board and a Building Safety Compliance Project Board. Engagement with residents and stakeholders through a multi-channel strategy was also outlined.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Update – Audit & Standards Advisory Committee Deep Dive

The committee was set to undertake a deep dive into the strategic risks presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Brent Council. The report, from Tony Afuwape, Head of Digital Transformation, and Olu Adeniji, Digital Programme Manager - AI and Automation, acknowledged Brent's expanding use of AI and automation to enhance efficiency and modernise service delivery, while also highlighting the associated strategic risks. The report detailed the council's AI ambitions, supported by the Digital Transformation Roadmap 2026-28, and the role of the Intelligent Automation Centre of Excellence (CoE). It noted that a recent internal audit by PwC had identified gaps in policy, governance, training, procurement, and monitoring, leading to a Limited Assurance rating. The report outlined key strategic risks, including AI hallucinations, expanded cyber-risks, lack of formal governance, and non-compliance with data protection laws. Mitigations and ongoing improvements were detailed, including a governance-first approach, mandatory Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) and AI Impact Assessments, and the development of a dedicated AI strategy. The report also touched upon financial considerations, with AI initiatives funded from existing budgets and the Digital Transformation Roadmap involving significant investment.

Internal Audit Interim Report 2025-26 - Addendum

Darren Armstrong, Deputy Director Organisational Assurance and Resilience, was scheduled to present an update on the Interim Internal Audit Report for 2025-26. This report, further to feedback from the committee on 3 December 2025, provided an update on action owners, accepted recommendations, and implementation dates for audits reported as completed. It also included a restatement of the 'Basis of Our Classifications' and 'Assurance Definitions' for clarification. The addendum detailed findings from core assurance work, including issues identified in Council Tax and Limited Business Rates, and risk-focused work, such as findings related to Residential and Nursing Care and AI Governance. For Residential and Nursing Care, high-risk findings included incorrect financial assessments and weaknesses in the Quality Assurance Process. The AI Governance section highlighted a lack of a unified council-wide AI strategy and dispersed oversight. The report also included a management letter regarding the Wembley Learning Zone (WLZ) and a review of the Pay Policy and Allowances.

Audit & Standards Advisory Committee Forward Plan & Work Programme 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to consider its forward plan and work programme for 2025-26. This document outlines the planned topics and dates for future committee meetings, covering areas such as Internal Audit, External Audit, Financial Reporting, Governance, Risk Management, and Standards Matters. The programme indicates planned deep dives into specific risks, including AI, and reviews of various council policies and procedures.