This committee aims to provide independent assurance of the adequacy of the council's risk management framework and the associated control environment, independent scrutiny of the financial and non-financial performance to the extent that it affects the council's exposure to risk and weakens the control environment, and to oversee the financial reporting process.

Councillors on this committee

There are 9 councillors on this committee. There is an informal proportionality agreement on this committee giving 6 Conservatives, 3 Liberal Democrats.

Membership

Chairman: Neil Blake
Vice-Chairman: Derrick Isham

Councillors:

Hedley Cadd
John Chilver
Steven Kennell
Steven Lambert
Timothy Mills
David Ralph
Lindsay Rowlands

Councillor Mrs Morgan-Owen, Cabinet Member for Resources, sits on this committee but is unable to vote.

Terms of Reference of this Committee

External Audit Functions

• To consider the appointment of the council's external auditor, as far as the Audit Commission rules permit.
• To discuss with the external auditor the nature and scope of audit coverage, including Value for Money (VFM), Use of Resources and Best Value work and to agree the level of fees chargeable.
• To review external audit reports and annual audit letters, together with management response, make recommendations to the cabinet and monitor management action in response to the issues raised.
• To discuss any difficulties, reservations or matters arising from the external auditors' audits (in the absence of officers where necessary).
• To respond to any other concerns of the external auditors.

Internal Audit Functions

• To monitor the progress and performance of internal audit.
• To review and approve the internal audit annual programme.
• To consider significant findings of internal audit reviews and investigations together with management responses and monitor implementation of agreed outcomes.
• To advise the council on the internal audit function, resourcing and standing within the council.
• To ensure that there are effective relationships between internal and external auditors
• To consider the audit manager's annual report and comment annually on the adequacy and effectiveness of internal control systems within the council.

Other Functions

• To monitor the implementation and ongoing processes for identifying and managing key risks of the organisation on a regular basis and take appropriate action to ensure that corporate risks are being actively managed, including reporting to full council as appropriate.
• To be satisfied that the council's assurance statements including the statement of internal control properly reflect the risk environment and any actions required to improve it.
• To seek assurances that action is being taken on risk related issues identified by auditors and inspectors.
• To monitor the council's compliance with its own standards and controls and recommend any necessary changes to financial and contract procedure rules.
• To keep under review corporate policies for preventing and detecting fraud.
• To review the adequacy of the management response to issues identified by audit activity and assurances relating to the corporate governance requirements for the organisation.
• To review any issue referred by the chief executive, chief finance officer or any council body.

Date Updated: 16/05/08