The Audit and Standards Committee of Staffordshire Council met on Tuesday 21 April 2026 to review the council's information governance, civil contingencies, and internal audit functions. Key decisions included the endorsement of updates to the council's constitution regarding the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board and the approval of the proposed Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2026/27.

Annual Report on Information Governance 2025/26

Tracey Foley, Assistant Director for Corporate Operations, presented the Annual Report on Information Governance for the period April 2025 to March 2026. The report highlighted a significant increase in Subject Access Requests (SARs), particularly concerning children's services, which impacted response times. While there was a slight decline in reported security incidents, data breaches reported to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) increased slightly, though the ICO took no further action on any reported cases. The council completed its Data Security and Protection Toolkit submission and renewed its Public Sector Network (PSN) connection. Cyber security measures were reviewed in light of global events, and the council received a £15,000 grant to strengthen third-party and supply chain security. Mandatory cyber security training had a 93% completion rate. The committee noted the report and accepted the assurances provided regarding information governance practices.

Annual Civil Contingencies Report 2025/26

Adam Cooper, Head of Registration Service and Emergency Planning, presented the Annual Civil Contingencies Report for 2025/26. The report detailed the council's emergency planning, response, recovery, and business continuity arrangements, which were deemed fit for purpose and compliant with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The Staffordshire Resilience Forum (SRF) continues to operate effectively, with an independent review noting its leading practice performance. Key achievements for the year included exercising a COMAH site external emergency plan, implementing a National Power Outage Plan, and establishing a Care & Welfare Task & Finish Group. The council has strengthened its response arrangements with the introduction of a tactical on-call role and invested in a radio communication system for resilience during power outages. The committee was assured that the council is legally compliant, operationally ready, and able to demonstrate its ability to protect residents during serious emergencies.

Internal Audit Charter 2026

Lisa Andrews, Assistant Director for Audit, Risk Management and Insurance Services, presented the proposed update to the Internal Audit Charter for 2026. The charter aligns with the Global Internal Audit Standards in the UK Public Sector, which came into effect on 1 April 2025. A key change is the requirement for internal and external auditors to meet with the committee annually in private, without senior management present. The committee was assured that the charter ensures an independent, effective, and properly resourced internal audit function that complies with statutory requirements and provides assurance on the proper governance and spending of public money. The committee endorsed the Internal Audit Charter 2026.

Proposed Internal Audit Strategy & Plan 2026/27

Lisa Andrews also presented the Proposed Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2026/27. The plan is risk-based and aligned with the council's strategic objectives, with a focus on key areas such as new system implementations (Finance & HR ERP, and Care Case Management), Local Government Reorganisation, Children's Services improvements, SEND governance, and cyber assurance. The strategy emphasizes strong financial management and controls, particularly during the Local Government Reorganisation transition. The plan includes a comprehensive counter-fraud programme and compliance reviews within schools. The committee reviewed the proposed content and coverage of the strategy and plan and approved it.

Proposed Update to the Constitution

Jennifer Norman, Member and Democratic Services Support Officer, presented a proposed update to the council's constitution regarding the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board. Following a review of the board's format and scope, changes have been agreed, including a two-tier meeting structure (formal and informal), revised membership, and a co-chairing arrangement. The committee noted these changes and endorsed them, referring them to Full Council for the necessary update to the Constitution.

Forward Plan for the Audit and Standards Committee 2026/27

The committee reviewed and noted the refreshed Forward Plan for the Audit and Standards Committee for 2026/27, which outlines the topics to be discussed at future meetings. The new format was considered clear and effective.