New Forest Borough Council

Councillors: 48

Wards: 27

Committees: 15

Meetings (2025): 72

Meetings (2024): 78

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Meeting

Name: Audit Committee
Start: 2025-03-21T10:00:00Z
End: 2025-03-21T14:00:00Z
Location: Council Chamber - Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA

Audit Committee - New Forest

Agenda

Published

Minutes

Pending

Meeting Times

Scheduled Time

Start:
Friday, 21st March 2025
10:00 AM

End:
Friday, 21st March 2025
2:00 PM

Meeting Status

Status:
Confirmed

Date:
21 Mar 2025

Location:
Council Chamber - Appletree Court, Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, SO43 7PA

Meeting Attendees

Officer

Lisa Conway

Expected

Chairman

Cllr Alan Alvey

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Committee Member

Cllr Jacqui England

Independent

Present, as expected

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Committee Member

Cllr Alan O'Sullivan

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Committee Member

Cllr Caroline Rackham

Liberal Democrat

Apologies

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Committee Member

Cllr Richard Young

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Officer

Insurance & Risk Officer

James Clarke

Expected

Officer

Strategic Director of Corporate Resources & Transformation, Section 151 Officer

Alan Bethune

In attendance

Officer

Assistant Director - Finance

Paul Whittles

Expected

Officer

Democratic Services Officer

Andy Rogers

In attendance

Committee Member

Cllr Kate Crisell

Conservative

Present, as expected

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Committee Member

Cllr Janet Richards

Green

Apologies

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Vice-Chairman

Cllr John Adams

Present, as expected

Committee Member

Cllr Malcolm Wade

Liberal Democrat

Present, as expected

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Officer

Internal Audit

Naomi Baxter

Expected

Officer

Katie Lean

External Auditor

In attendance

Officer

Simon Mathers

External Auditor

In attendance

Officer

Antony Harvey

Internal Audit, HCC

In attendance

Officer

Jade Lakeland

Internal Audit, HCC

Expected

Officer

Daniel O'Rourke

Hampshire County Council

Expected

Officer

Andrew Boutflower

Hampshire County Council

Expected

Officer

Assistant Director - Governance (Monitoring Officer)

Tanya Coulter

In attendance

Officer

Gemma Farley

Hampshire County Council

Expected

Officer

Information Governance & Complaints Manager

Amanda Wilson

Expected

Officer

Strategic Procurement Manager

Josie West

Expected

Officer

Service Manager - Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services

Ryan Stevens

In attendance

Officer

Democratic Services Officer

Lee Ellis

In attendance

Agenda

0 Apologies

1 Minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 24 January 2025 as a correct record.

2 Declarations of Interest

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item. The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

3 Public Participation

To receive any public participation in accordance with the Council’s public participation scheme.

4 Fraud, Anti Bribery, Corruption and Whistleblowing policies review

To receive an update on fraud, anti bribery, corruption and whistleblowing policies following a review.

Attachments:

Document Report to Audit Committee 21 March 2025 - Fraud Strategy and Whistleblowing Policy 13 Mar 2025
Document Appendix 1 - Fraud Strategy March 2025 13 Mar 2025
Document Appendix 2 - Whistleblowing Policy 2025 13 Mar 2025

5 External Auditor's Annual Report For Year Ended 31 March 2024

To receive the External Auditor’s annual report for the year ended 31 March 2025.

Attachments:

Document New Forest District Council 2023.24 - Auditors Annual Report 13 Mar 2025

6 External Audit Plan 2024/25 (Verbal Report)

To receive a verbal update on the External Audit Plan for 2024/25.

7 Internal Audit Progress Report 2024/25

To receive the Internal Audit progress report for 2024/25.

Attachments:

Document NFDC Audit Committee - Internal Audit Progress Report - February 2025 (Covering Report) 13 Mar 2025
Document NFDC Audit Committee - Internal Audit Progress Report - February 2025 (Appendix 1) 13 Mar 2025

8 Internal Audit Charter and Plan 2025/26

To receive the Internal Audit Charter and Plan for 2025/26.

Attachments:

Document NFDC Audit Committee - Internal Audit Charter and Plan 2025-26 (Covering Report) 13 Mar 2025
Document NFDC Audit Committee - Internal Audit Charter 2025-26 (Appendix A) 13 Mar 2025
Document NFDC Audit Committee - Internal Audit Plan 2025-26 (Appendix B) 13 Mar 2025

9 Financial Regulations Review

To receive an update following a review of Financial Regulations.

Attachments:

Document 0. Audit Committee 21 March 2025 Financial Regulations Review (Live) 13 Mar 2025
Document Appendix 1 & 2 - Audit Committee March 2024 - financial regulations review 13 Mar 2025
Document Appendix 3 - Financial Regulations March 2025 13 Mar 2025

10 Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 – Annual Update

To receive the annual update on the use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Attachments:

Document RIPA report for Audit Committee March 2025 13 Mar 2025

11 Audit Committee Work Plan

To consider the Audit Committee’s Work Plan.

Attachments:

Document Work Plan - Audit 13 Mar 2025

12 Any other items which the Chairman decides are urgent

Previous Meetings

12th May 2025

Audit Committee

21st Mar 2025

Audit Committee

24th Jan 2025

Audit Committee

25th Oct 2024

Audit Committee

27th Sep 2024 Cancelled

Audit Committee

26th Jul 2024

Audit Committee

31st May 2024

Audit Committee

13th May 2024

Audit Committee

22nd Mar 2024

Audit Committee

26th Jan 2024

Audit Committee

Future Meetings

27th Jun 2025

Audit Committee

31st Oct 2025

Audit Committee

23rd Jan 2026

Audit Committee

27th Mar 2026

Audit Committee

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