Issue - meetings

It is the opinion of the Chief Internal Auditor that during the 2025/26 financial year:

·       arrangements were in place to ensure an adequate and effective framework of governance, risk management and internal controls (internal control environment), and that where weaknesses were identified there were appropriate action plans in place to address them;

·       the systems and internal control arrangements were generally effective and that agreed policies and regulations were generally complied with;

·       adequate arrangements were in place to deter and detect fraud;

·       there was an appropriate and effective risk management framework;

·       managers were aware of the importance of maintaining internal controls and accepted recommendations made by Internal Audit to improve controls;

·       the Council’s Internal Audit service was effective and compliant with regulations and standards as required of a professional internal audit service;

the arrangements, in respect of the Chief Internal Auditor, were consistent with all of the five principles set out in the CIPFA publication “The Role of the Head of Internal Audit in Public Sector Organisations”.