The Governance and Audit Committee has assumed the Governance, performance and audit functions of the former Performance and Publicity Committee. The work of the Committee will focus on the following areas:

• Corporate Governance
• Standards
• Ethics 
• Probity

Audit Role

• To promote a culture of openness, ready accountability and probity in order to ensure the highest standards of conduct of Councillors and employees.

• To lead on all aspects of Corporate Governance by promoting the values of putting people first, valuing public service and creating a norm of the highest standards of personal conduct.

• To oversee and manage probity for Councillors and employees and on the Members Code of Conduct

• To be responsible for the Council’s Register of Members’ interests.

• To be responsible for written guidance and advice on the operation of the system of declarations of Members’ Interests and to receive reports from the Monitoring Officer and Town Clerk on the operation of the system of declarations from time to time.

• To establish, monitor, approve and issue advice and guidance to Councillors on the scheme of dispensation.

• To establish when required a Standards Sub-Committee to determine how to comply with the recommendations of the Monitoring Officer (Standards Committee on Code of Conduct cases).

• To provide independent assurance on the adequacy of the risk management framework and the internal control and reporting environment, including (but not limited to) the reliability of the financial reporting process and the Annual Governance Statement.

• To be satisfied and provide assurance that appropriate action is being taken on risk and internal control related issues identified by the internal and external auditors and other review and inspection bodies.

• To receive, and make recommendation on, such reports as are required in relation to all audit matters and including the Strategic Internal Audit Plan.

• The Committee shall specifically have responsibility for oversight of and provision of assurance on the following functions:

  • Internal audit, including its efficiency;

  • ensuring that Council assets are safeguarded;

  • maintaining proper accounting records;

  • ensuring the independence, objectivity and effectiveness of internal and external audit;

  • the arrangements made for cooperation between internal and external audit and other review bodies;

  • the scope and effectiveness of the internal control systems established by management to identify, assess, manage and monitor financial and non-financial risks (including measures to protect against, detect and respond to fraud and the Whistle Blowing Policy)

Performance oversight

• The development and formulation of strategies, policies and procedures for the assessment and monitoring of performance.

• The agreement of targets for service delivery after consultation with other Committees.

• The review of the effectiveness of service delivery in all areas of the Council’s functions and the making of recommendations to relevant Committees on the implementation of improvements.

• The review of performance against agreed targets and subsequent making of recommendations to other Committees (and Council where appropriate) for improvement.

• The examination of the Council’s policy on consultation including its effectiveness and the identification of areas for improvement.

• The comparison of the Council’s performance against other service providers and similar councils and subsequent making of recommendations to other Committees (and Council where appropriate) for improvement.