Agenda item

The Committee considered a Report of the Corporate Director of Resources that highlighted the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Position Statement: Audit Committees in Local Authorities and Police 2022.  The report set out proposals for the completion of CIPFA’s Audit Committee Arrangement: Self-Assessment of Good Practice document which allowed the Audit Committee to review effectiveness (for copy see file of minutes).

Mr Robinson was fully supportive of the self-assessment and queried if they would be completed this year.

T Henderson replied that she was keen to progress the self-assessments before Christmas if this was feasible.  She then hoped to view the feedback and consider a report to be brought to the February or May 2024 Audit committee meeting. She requested that all Audit Committee members participate in the completion of their own self assessment and offered to provide support to members if required.

Mr Robinson asked if the form in appendix 3 was an example of what would be asked of members to complete as it seemed quite lengthy.

T Henderson responded by confirming that the CIPFA document was catered towards local authorities as well as Police authorities and that in advance of the self-assessment document being issued by individual Audit Committee Members, she offered to meet with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee and provide support on reviewing and revising the documentation accordingly.

Mr Robinson questioned whether the outcome of the CIPFA self-assessment for this Audit Committee would be compared to the scoring outcome of other local authorities Audit Committees.

T Henderson confirmed that this was possible, for example Newcastle City Council had completed their assessment to the revised CIPFA 2022 guidance and that information on the outcome of their assessment was publicly available. 

P Darby mentioned that the proposal for the completion of the self-assessments had been considered in conjunction with the mid-term tenure of the current Audit Committee membership and factored in the timescale of the 2025 election process. It was considered timely for the assessment to commence asap so that the assessment outcome could be beneficial in influencing the future training and induction requirements for new Audit Committee members in due course.

Resolved:

i)               That the content of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Position Statement: Audit Committees in Local Authorities and Police 2022 and CIPFA’s Audit Committee Arrangement: Self-Assessment of Good Practice document be noted.

ii)             That the self-assessment of the Audit Committees effectiveness against the good practice guidance recommended by CIPFA be considered, endorsed and be undertaken.

iii)            That the outcome of the self-assessment undertaken will form the basis