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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 7^th November 2023, this deadline will be 5pm on 24^th October.

For any questions that are seeking to clarify items on the agenda, questions for the meeting on 7^th November should be received by 5pm on 1^st 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.