Issue - meetings

The Chair of the Audit and Standards Committee presented the Audit and Standards Committee Annual Report 2020/21.

The Chair explained that the report was being presented late owing to a delay in the external audit and, going forward, the Committee’s annual report would be presented to the Assembly at the same time as other Committee annual reports.

The Committee had faced numerous challenges resulting from Covid-19 as it had affected both the internal and external audits; however, the Committee had continued to work with officers and auditors to ensure that the Committee’s oversight continued to be effective.  The Chair stressed the important role of the Committee within the Council and explained that robust local audit systems and transparent local authority financial reporting were key to delivering value for money for taxpayers, and for sustaining public confidence in local democracy.

In relation to Standards, the Committee was responsible for ensuring that the Council discharged its duties under the Localism Act 2011 which requires that the Council promote and maintain high standards of conduct by Members and Co-opted Members of the Authority.

The Chair covered the following areas of interest from over the year:

Ø  Scrutiny of the Internal Audit Report for 2019/20;

Ø  Concern over external audit and delays to the Statement of Accounts, which had been challenged; and

Ø  A report on the outcome of the Redmond Review, led by Sir Tony Redmond who was appointed by the Government to review the local audit market. The Redmond Review concluded that the system was very fragile and in need of reform and made a number of recommendations to the Government.

The Chair spoke briefly about the current municipal year, with Assembly noting that the 2019/20 audit was still outstanding and its completion remained the Committee’s priority. The continuing issues in local authority audits, and possible adverse effects, meant that the Committee would continue to closely monitor the actions of officers and external auditors going forward.

The Chair took the opportunity to thank the Committee’s Members, the Independent Advisor, Stephen Warren, the officers that had supported the Committee and others who had attended and assisted the Committee in its role or been subject to its scrutiny.