Harlow Council met on 18 September 2025, and voted to approve the Audit and Standards Committee Annual Report for 2024/25 and a revised version of the council's constitution. Councillors also received updates on local government reorganisation, the Building Harlow's Future programme, and the annual treasury management report.

Constitution Review

The council approved a revised version of its constitution, following comments made at a cabinet meeting on 11 September. The constitution explains how the council works, how decisions are made and how residents can participate in local government. It covers:

• The roles and responsibilities of councillors and officers
• Citizens' rights and responsibilities, including voting, attending meetings, accessing information and submitting petitions
• How the constitution is interpreted, reviewed and changed

The constitution states that residents have the right to contact their local councillors if they have any concerns about anything that the council is responsible for. It also outlines residents' responsibilities, which include being respectful in all dealings with the council.

Audit and Standards Committee Annual Report

The council approved the Audit and Standards Committee Annual Report for 2024/25, which the Audit and Standards Committee had recommended for approval. The report confirms the committee's role in providing independent assurance on the council's governance, risk management and internal control arrangements.

The committee gained assurances from the following sources:

• Internal Audit: The committee considered reports regarding the Internal Audit Strategy, Internal Audit Charter and Annual Audit Plan.
• Assurance Framework and Annual Governance Statement: The committee advised on the effectiveness of the council's internal controls and assurance framework, including the production of the Annual Governance Statement¹.
• Anti-Fraud and Corruption: The committee monitored actions taken by officers to counter fraud, including the work of the Corporate Fraud Group.
• Risk Management: The committee received and discussed reports relating to risk management.
• Statement of Accounts and External Auditors: The committee was informed about the local audit backlog in England.

The report noted that the committee undertook its own effectiveness review on 25 March 2025, and the results showed that the council could demonstrate compliance with recommended best practice for an effective audit committee.

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) Update

The council received an update on the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Greater Essex. Councillor Dan Swords, Leader of the Council, said that a briefing was being organised for councillors on LGR prior to the meeting.

Cabinet endorsed the council's continued participation with the production of the Five Unitary Business Case and the Business Case for Greater Essex, but noted that a formal decision on the council's position would be taken in September.

The Essex LGR proposal suggests replacing the current system of county, district, and borough councils with three unitary authorities².

Building Harlow's Future Delivery Update

The council received a delivery update on Building Harlow's Future, a plan to regenerate the town. Cabinet noted the progress of projects, the performance of key performance indicators, the financial position as of May 2025, and the position of the strategic risk register.

Annual Treasury Management Report 2024/25

The council received the Annual Treasury Management Report 2024/25. Treasury management refers to the way that the council manages its cash flow, debt and investments.