Agenda

The Director of Finance submits the Draft Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement for 2024/25.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to note the content of the report and make any comments.

The Director of Finance submits the Annual Report on the National Fraud Initative for 2024/25.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to note the content of the report and make any comments.

The Director of Finance submits the Counter Fraud Annual Report for 2024/25.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to note the content of the report and make any recommendations to the Executive and/or the Director of Finance.

The Head of Internal Audit submits the Head of Internal Audit Annual Report for 2024/25.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to:

·         Note the results of internal audit work undertaken, and the opinion of the Head of Internal Audit that Reasonable Assurance can be provided on the adequacy and effectiveness of the council’s framework of governance, risk management and internal control.

·         Note the outcome of Veritau’s quality assurance and development arrangements, including the confirmation that the internal audit service conforms to public sector internal auditing standards.

·         Note that no significant control weaknesses have been identified by internal audit during the year which are considered relevant to the preparation of the Annual Governance Statement.

·         Approve the draft internal audit charter.

The City Barrister and Head of Standards submits the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 Bi-Annual Performance Report January 2025 – June 2025.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to:

·         Receive the Report and note its contents.

·         Make any recommendations or comments it sees fit either to the Executive or to the City Barrister and Head of Standards.

The Director of Finance submits the Insurance Annual report for 2024/25.

The Governance and Audit Committee is recommended to note the contents of the report, and the Council’s approach to ensuring it is managing the financial risk associated with insurance claims.

The Committee is recommended to note progress on actions agreed at the previous meeting and not reported elsewhere on the agenda (if any).

PRIVATE SESSION

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO NOTE

Under the law, the Committee is entitled to consider certain items in private where in the circumstances the public interest in maintaining the matter exempt from publication outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. Members of the public will be asked to leave the meeting when such items are discussed.

The Committee is recommended to consider the following reports in private on the grounds that they contain ‘exempt’ information as defined by the Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985, as amended, and consequently that the Sub-Committee makes the following resolution:-

“that the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following reports in accordance with the provisions of Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, as amended, because they involve the likely disclosure of 'exempt' information, as defined in the Paragraphs detailed below of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and taking all the circumstances into account, it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

Paragraph 7 Information relating to any action taken or to be taken in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime.