Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Kabir.

Members were advised that Councillor Muhammed Butt (Leader of the Council) was also attending in place of Councillor Mili Patel (as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources).

Members are invited to declare at this stage of the meeting, the nature and existence of any relevant disclosable pecuniary or personal interests in the items on this agenda and to specify the item(s) to which they relate.

There were no declarations of interests made at the meeting.

To hear any deputations received from members of the public in accordance with Standing Order 67.

There were no deputations received at the meeting.

To approve the minutes from the previous Audit and Standards Committee meeting held on the 16^th July 2025 as a correct record.

RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the previous Committee held on Monday 16 June 2025 as a correct record.

To receive an update on the progress in finalising the Council’s and Pension Fund Statement of Accounts 2024-25, following consideration of the item at the preceding Audit & Standards Advisory Committee and in advance of the final Statement of Accounts being approved.

The Committee received a report from the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources providing an update on progress in finalising the Council’s and Pension Fund Statement of Accounts for 2024-25.

Following consideration of the update provided at the preceding meeting of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee, the Committee were reminded that given the ongoing work to complete the audit process the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee had recommended that approval of the Letter of Representation be delegated to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources with the Chair of the Audit and Standards Committee authorised to sign the final Statement of Accounts for 2024-25, subject to written assurances being provided that all outstanding matters and adjustments contained in the audit findings report had been made and with any material adjustments required as a result of the final audit findings report to be reported back to the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee and Audit and Standards Committee.

On the basis of the recommendations made at the preceding Audit & Standards Advisory Committee, it was therefore RESOLVED that the Audit and Standards Committee, having once again thanked Sophia Brown and the audit team at Grant Thornton along with the Council’s Finance Team for their efforts to progress completion of the audit:

(1)       That approval of the draft letters of representation to Grant Thornton for the Council and Pension Fund be delegated to the Corporate Director of Finance & Resources, as set out in Appendices A & B of the report, which members noted followed the standard template, subject to any significant changes or adjustments required as a result of the final audit findings report being issued to be reported back to members of the Audit and Standards Advisory Committee .

(2)    That approval to sign off the final statement of accounts for 2024-25 be delegated to the Chair of the Audit & Standards Committee, subject to written assurance being provided that all outstanding matters and adjustments contained in the Audit Findings report had been made, with any material adjustments required as a result of the final Audit Findings report being issued to be reported back to the Audit and Standards Committee and also notified to all members of the Audit & Standards Advisory Committee.

(3)    That the audit fees for 2024-25 be approved, as detailed in section 3.2.9 of the report subject to members of the Audit & Standards and Advisory Committee being notified of any material adjustment or change.