Issue - meetings

Good governance is ultimately the responsibility of Council as the governing body of BCP Council.

This report provides assurance as to the way in which the Audit & Governance Committee has discharged its role to support Council in this responsibility. In addition, the report underpins the Annual Governance Statement, which is approved by the committee.

The attached report at Appendix A, Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee 2023/24, demonstrates how the committee has:

·        Fulfilled its terms of reference;

·        Complied with national guidance relating to audit committees; and

Contributed to strengthening risk management, internal control and governance arrangements in BCP Council.

The Head of Audit and Management Assurance presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'J' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Good governance was ultimately the responsibility of Council as the governing body of BCP Council.

The report provided assurance as to the way in which the Audit & Governance Committee had discharged its role to support Council in this responsibility. In addition, the report underpinned the Annual Governance Statement, which was approved by the committee.

The attached report at Appendix A, Annual Report of the Audit & Governance Committee 2023/24, demonstrated how the committee has:

·       Fulfilled its terms of reference;

·       Complied with national guidance relating to audit committees; and

• Contributed to strengthening risk management, internal control and governance arrangements in BCP Council.

The Head of Audit and Assurance Management and the Monitoring Officer provided the following information in response to questions from the Committee:

• The role of the Audit committee would remain the same under a Cabinet and Scrutiny model or a Committee model.
• The role of the committee was wide ranging and it had a significant role in the governance of council.
• It was good practice to provide an annual report to advise Council of the corporate governance health of the organisation.

The committee welcomed the report and was appreciated the transparency for residents.

RESOLVED that

the Audit & Governance Committee had fulfilled its terms of reference, complied with national guidance relating to audit committees, and contributed to strengthening risk management, internal control and governance arrangements in BCP Council.

Voting: Unanimous