The Audit and Standards Committee of Staffordshire Council met on Tuesday 17 February 2026 to review annual reports on information governance and civil contingencies, and to consider updates to the Internal Audit Charter and Strategy. The committee also endorsed proposed changes to the Constitution regarding the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board and noted the committee's forward plan.

Annual Report on Information Governance 2025/26

The committee received an annual report on Information Governance for the period April 2025 to March 2026. Tracy Thorley, Assistant Director for Corporate Operations, and Hedda Motherwell, Head of Information Governance, presented the report. It was noted that there had been a significant increase in the number and complexity of Subject Access Requests, particularly within Children and Families services, which had impacted response times. While the number of security incidents had slightly reduced, Transformation and Children and Families directorates still accounted for the highest number of incidents. The report detailed that 20 personal data breaches were reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), an increase from the previous year, with no further action taken by the ICO. The committee was informed that 73 Data Protection Impact Assessments were completed, and support was provided for 124 data sharing agreements. Response rates for Freedom of Information requests had declined due to staffing issues, but temporary agency support had been secured to address the backlog. The Council had also participated in the Get Ready for Cyber assessment framework, securing a £15,000 grant. Members discussed the usability of cyber security systems for remote workers and the importance of GDPR training for councillors, with officers undertaking to investigate the promotion of Council-specific e-learning modules. The committee resolved to accept the report and note the reporting and management of data security incidents.

Annual Civil Contingencies Report 2025/26

The committee reviewed the annual report on Civil Contingencies for April 2025 to March 2026, presented by Adam Cooper, Lead Officer for Emergency Planning and Civil Contingencies. The report highlighted that emergency planning in Staffordshire is delivered in partnership through the Staffordshire Resilience Forum (SRF), which covers Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. Key activities during the year included the review of Control of Major Accident Hazard (COMAH) site external emergency plans, the introduction of the Staffordshire Multi-Agency Flood Plan, and the establishment of a Care and Welfare Task and Finish Group. The Council's Civil Contingencies Policy and a suite of plans, including the Power Outage Plan and Reservoir Plan, were reviewed and updated. The report also detailed efforts to strengthen business continuity arrangements, including the rollout of a revised Business Continuity Management framework and a new programme of testing and validation. Training and exercising activity continued, with an electronic learning hub introduced to provide an audit trail. Investment had been made in radio communications to maintain communication during incidents. For 2026–27, priorities include further improvements to resilient telecommunications, continued delivery of the training and exercising programme, and preparation for the implementation of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act (Martyn's Law). The committee resolved to consider the report and provide feedback to inform the work plan.

Internal Audit Charter 2026

The committee received a report on the Internal Audit Charter for 2026. The Charter, which is reviewed annually, defines internal audit in accordance with Global Internal Audit Standards and outlines the function's purpose, mandate, and reporting lines. Members were assured that safeguards were in place to ensure the independence of the internal audit function. The Charter details the Chief Audit Executive's responsibilities and the types of work undertaken by internal audit, including work relating to fraud and corruption. The committee noted that an external quality assessment is undertaken every five years, with previous assessments concluding full compliance with professional standards. A key change in the 2026 Charter is the inclusion of a requirement for both internal and external auditors to meet privately with committee members annually. The committee resolved to endorse the Internal Audit Charter 2026.

Proposed Internal Audit Strategy & Plan 2026/27

A report on the proposed Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2026/27 was presented. The strategy provides the framework for the plan, ensuring compliance with Global Internal Audit Standards and outlining the risk assessment methodology. The plan was developed following extensive consultation and liaison with External Audit colleagues. It includes a range of high-risk reviews, such as those relating to new HR and Finance system implementations, the replacement of the Care Directory, and Local Government Reorganisation activity. The plan also incorporates a schools audit programme, an allocation for special investigations, and proactive counter-fraud work. The total plan requires 2,815 audit days, to be delivered through a mixed economy model. Members queried the effectiveness of the schools' audit programme, particularly in relation to academy trusts, and the flexibility of the audit plan in response to emerging issues. The committee reviewed the proposed content and coverage of the Internal Audit Strategy and Plan 2026/27 and approved it.

Proposed Update to the Constitution

The committee received a report regarding a proposed update to the Constitution concerning the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board. The report contained two recommendations: to note changes made to the Board's Terms of Reference, which had been agreed at its meeting on 11 March 2026, and to endorse these changes and refer them to Full Council with a recommendation to update the Constitution. The committee noted that the Council's Constitution had not been updated in this respect since 2022 and that it was important for it to align with the Board's current arrangements. The committee resolved to note the changes and endorse them for referral to Full Council.

Forward Plan for the Audit and Standards Committee 2026/27

A refreshed version of the Audit and Standards Committee Forward Plan was presented, with an improved layout that clearly demonstrated the cyclical nature of the committee's work. The committee welcomed the revised format and thanked officers for the update. The committee resolved to note the Forward Plan.

The committee then resolved to exclude the public from the meeting for the remaining items, which involved the likely disclosure of exempt information. These items included exempt minutes, an investigation report on out-of-hours highways service responses, and top 10 risk area reports concerning the new care system implementation, the Dedicated Schools Grant High Needs Block, agency employee dual employment, and the Digital Innovation Strategy.