The Council has
appointed an Audit and Risk Management Committee which considers
fraud prevention, internal and external audit and risk
management.
In accordance with the Council’s
Constitution, questions from the public that are not specific to
reports on the agenda must have been received in writing by 5pm, 10
working days before the date of the meeting. For the meeting
scheduled for 7th November 2023, this deadline will be
5pm on 24th October.
For any questions that are seeking to clarify
items on the agenda, questions for the meeting on 7th
November should be received by 5pm on 1st
November. Questions can be submitted directly to the Committee
Clerk at stephen.wood@bromley.gov.uk
When submitting questions, please note that
members of the public are restricted to one question per meeting.
Questions should be approximately 50 words. You should state if you
are intending to attend the meeting to ask your question in person
or if you require a written response.
At special meetings, only questions relating
to reports on the agenda are taken.
The Committee’s full terms of reference
are –
Audit and Risk
Management Committee (Membership
proportional, and to exclude any member of the
Executive.)
·
To approve the Internal Audit Charter.
·
To approve the risk-based Internal Audit Plan.
·
To consider reports from the Head of Audit and Assurance on
internal audit performance and outcomes during the year, including
key findings, actions and areas where
management has accepted a level of risk that may be unacceptable to
the Council or there are concerns about progress with the
implementation of agreed actions.
·
To consider the Head of Audit and Assurance’s Annual Report
and opinion.
·
To have oversight of, and contribute towards, the Quality Assurance
and Improvement Programme and in particular, to the external
quality assessment of internal audit that takes place at least once
every five years.
·
To ensure the independence of Internal Audit, through making
appropriate enquiries of both management and the Head of Audit and
Assurance to determine if there are any inappropriate scope or
resource limitations.
·
To consider any impairments to independence or objectivity arising
from additional roles or responsibilities outside of internal
auditing of the Head of Audit and Assurance. To approve and
periodically review safeguards to limit such impairments.
·
Consider the reports of external audit and inspection agencies.
·
To monitor the effective development and operation of Risk
Management in the Council
·
To monitor the Counter Fraud and Corruption strategy, actions and
resources
·
To monitor the effectiveness of Counter Fraud arrangements
including assessment of fraud risks, actions and responses
·
Seek assurances that action is being taken on risk related issues
identified by auditors and inspectors.
·
To review and approve the Annual Governance Statement, ensuring
that this properly reflects the risk environment and any actions
required to improve it.
·
Ensure that there are effective relationships between external and
internal audit, inspection agencies and other relevant bodies, and
that the value of the audit process is demonstrated and actively
promoted.
·
Review the financial statements, external auditor’s opinion
and reports to members, and monitor management action in response
to the issues raised by external audit.