Please reply to:

 

 

Contact:

Christeen Abee

 

Service:

Committee Services

 

Direct Line:

01784 446224

 

E-mail:

c.abee@spelthorne.gov.uk

 

Date:

19 November 2025

 

 

Notice of meeting

 

 

Audit Committee

 

 

Date:

 

Thursday, 27 November 2025

Time:

 

7.00 pm

Place:

 

Council Chamber, Council Offices, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames TW18 1XB

 

To the members of the Audit Committee

 

Councillors:

 

J. Button (Chair)

K. Howkins (Vice-Chair)

G. Neall

 

L. E. Nichols

H.R.D. Williams

P.N. Woodward

 

R. Chandler

P. Briggs

S. Seehra

 

 

Substitute Members: Councillors

M. Arnold, C. Bateson, J.R. Boughtflower and T. Burrell

 

Councillors are reminded that the Gifts and Hospitality Declaration book will be available outside the meeting room for you to record any gifts or hospitality offered to you since the last Committee meeting.


 

Agenda

 

                                                                                                                                                   Page nos.

 

<AI1>

1.  

Apologies and Substitutes

 

 

 

To receive any apologies for absence and notification of substitutions.

 

 

</AI1>

<AI2>

2.  

Minutes

 

5 - 16

 

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 25 September 2025 and the carry-over meeting held on 21 October 2025 as a correct record.

 

 

</AI2>

<AI3>

3.  

Disclosures of Interest

 

 

 

To receive any disclosures of interest from Councillors in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct for members.

 

 

</AI3>

<AI4>

4.  

Internal Audit Progress Report October 2025

 

17 - 46

 

Committee is asked:

1.    To note the Internal Audit Progress Report – October 2025 (Appendix A)

2.    To note the Internal Audit Progress Report – October 2025 (Appendix B) Exempt Item; and

3.    To approve the adjustments to the internal audit plan 2025-26.

 

 

</AI4>

<AI5>

5.  

Risk Management/Corporate Risk Register (new format)

 

47 - 72

 

Committee is asked to:

a.    Note progress with the development of a new Risk Management Framework and Policy based on a governance assurance approach to risk management.

b.    Review the worked examples shown in Appendix A, which outline how the Council’s key areas of governance will be addressed under these new arrangements within the revised approach, and

c.    Provide comments on any suggested improvements necessary to provide assurance that key governance areas of the Council are addressed effectively.

 

 

</AI5>

<AI6>

6.  

2024-25 Draft Unaudited Financial Statements

 

73 - 258

 

Committee is asked to acknowledge the report and the draft unaudited financial statements, which were published on the Council’s website on 16 September 2025, in accordance with the statutory deadline.

 

 

</AI6>

<AI7>

7.  

Annual Governance Statement 2024-25

 

To Follow

 

Committee is asked to review and approve the draft Annual Governance Statement.

 

Report to follow.

 

 

</AI7>

<AI8>

8.  

Review of Effectiveness of Audit Committee

 

259 - 304

 

Committee is asked to:

1.    Consider and endorse the findings of the assessment of effectiveness of Audit Committee (Appendix A);

2.    Develop a plan to identify opportunities to improve and strengthen the work of the Audit Committee (Appendix B); and

3.    Agree the revised Terms of Reference for Audit Committee (Appendix C) for consideration by the Committee System Working Group.

 

 

</AI8>

<AI9>

9.  

Annual Review of Confidential Reporting Code

 

305 - 316

 

Committee is asked to:

1.    Note the updated Confidential Reporting Code; and

2.    Agree to retain the current Confidential Reporting Code as updated.

 

 

</AI9>

<AI10>

10.  

Improvement and Recovery Plan Progress Updates

 

Verbal Report

 

To receive an update on progress on the Improvement and Recovery Plan.

 

 

</AI10>

<AI11>

11.  

Committee Forward Plan

 

317 - 320

 

To consider and approve the work programme for the municipal year

 

 

</AI11>

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