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Hart Borough Council
Councillors: 32
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Committees: 14
Meetings (2025): 65
Meetings (2024): 60
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Meeting

Audit Committee - Hart

Agenda
Published
Minutes
Pending
Meeting Times
Scheduled Time
Start:
Tuesday, 7th October 2025
7:00 PM
End:
Tuesday, 7th October 2025
11:00 PM
Meeting Status
Status:
Confirmed
Date:
07 Oct 2025
Location:
Council Chamber
Meeting Attendees
Wendy Makepeace-Browne photo
Chair
Wendy Makepeace-Browne

Community Campaign Hart

Expected

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Chris Axam photo
Committee Member
Chris Axam

Community Campaign Hart

Expected

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Tim Southern photo
Committee Member
Tim Southern

Conservative

Expected

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Andy Brown photo
Committee Member
Andy Brown

Liberal Democrat

Expected

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Daisy Khepar photo
Committee Member
Daisy Khepar

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Officer
Chief Executive
Daryl Phillips

Expected

Officer
Executive Director, Corporate Services & S151 Officer
Graeme Clark

Expected

Dan Taylor photo
Committee Member
Dan Taylor

Liberal Democrat

Expected

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Officer
Committee and Members Services Officer
Emma Evans1

Expected

Stephen Highley photo
Committee Member
Stephen Highley

Conservative

Expected

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Public
Andrew Brittain

Ernst Young (EY)

Expected

Public
Preeti Malik

EY - External Auditor

Expected

Public
Penny Knowles

Southern Internal Audit Partnership

Expected

Agenda
0 Addendum to Item 11 - Independent Member on Audit Committee
Attachments:
1 Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the meeting held on 22 July 2025 are attached for confirmation and signature as a current record.
Attachments:
2 Apologies for Absence
To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services before the meeting as soon as they know they will be absent.
3 Declarations of Interest
To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other, interests*.

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services before the meeting as soon as they know they may have an interest to declare.
4 Chair's Announcements
5 External Audit Results 2024/25
To receive the Council’s External Auditors report on the key findings of their audit of the 2024/25 Statement Accounts.

Recommendation

To receive the Council’s External Auditors report.
Attachments:
6 Statement of Accounts and final Annual Governance Statement 2024/25
To approve the Statement of Accounts, Annual Governance Statement and Letter of Representation for 2024/25.

Recommendation

That Audit Committee approve:

i. the Statement of Accounts 2024/2025

ii. the final Annual Governance Statement 2024/25

iii. that delegated authority be given to the Executive Director - Corporate in consultation with the Chairman of Audit Committee, to approve any non-material changes to the 2024/25 Statement of Accounts that arise from the final external audit review work, and to approve the Letter of Representation
Attachments:
7 Internal Audit Progress Report Quarter 2 2025/26
To review and note the report on the work undertaken by Internal Audit at each of their meetings.

Recommendation

To review and note the report for Quarter 2.
Attachments:
8 Internal Audit Strategy 2025-28
The purpose of this report is to provide the Audit Committee with the Internal Audit Strategy 2025–2028.

Recommendation

That the Audit Committee review and note the Internal Audit Strategy 2025-28.
Attachments:
9 External Quality Assessment
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the alternative options considered in commissioning an external assessor to undertake the pending independent assessment of the Southern Internal Audit Partnership against the Global Internal Audit Standards in the UK Public Sector.

Recommendation

That the Audit Committee notes arrangements for the pending external assessment of the Southern Internal Audit Partnership against the Global Internal Audit Standards in the UK Public Sector.
Attachments:
10 Consultation on 2025/26 Scale of Audit Fees
To review the Consultation on 2025/26 Scale of Audit Fees.

Recommendation

To review the consultation and pass any comments to officers.
Attachments:
11 Appointment of Independent Person to Audit Committee
At its meeting on 25th October 2022, the Audit Committee agreed 'for the appointment of Independent Person(s) to be included in the updated Terms of Reference, but no appointment to be made at this time'. In light of the observation made in the Corporate Peer Challenge Review report it is appropriate to reconsider this matter, and the Committee is requested to agree whether or not to appoint an Independent Person.

Recommendation

The Committee is requested to consider whether to commence the selection process for an independent person on the Audit Committee.
12 Audit Work Programme
To consider the Audit Work Programme.
Attachments:
Previous Meetings
Meeting

7th Oct 2025

Audit Committee

Meeting

22nd Jul 2025

Audit Committee

Meeting

25th Mar 2025

Audit Committee

Meeting

1st Oct 2024

Audit Committee

Meeting

23rd Jul 2024

Audit Committee

Meeting

26th Mar 2024

Audit Committee

Meeting

24th Oct 2023

Audit Committee

Meeting

25th Jul 2023

Audit Committee

Meeting

23rd May 2023 Cancelled

Audit Committee

Meeting

28th Mar 2023

Audit Committee

Future Meetings
Meeting

24th Mar 2026

Audit Committee

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