The Audit and Risk Assurance Committee of Sandwell Council scheduled a meeting to discuss several key items, including the appointment of an independent member, the draft statement of accounts, and updates to the strategic risk register and annual governance statement. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Sandwell Council House in Oldbury.

Appointment of Independent Member

The committee was to consider the appointment of Mr Taminder Pattar as an independent member. The report pack stated that the Chartered Institute for Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) recommends that local authority audit committees include two independent members to provide appropriate technical expertise. It was noted that a vacancy had arisen following the resignation of a previous independent member. The report pack recommended that Mr Pattar be appointed for a four-year term, concluding at the annual council meeting in May 2029. It was noted that Mr Pattar is a qualified chartered accountant with a background in external and internal audit across diverse industries. The report pack also noted that the council agreed to introduce an allowance of £50 per meeting attended, plus travel costs, for independent members, starting in the 2025/26 municipal year. The Independent Member Role Description states that applicants cannot apply if they have been a member or employee of the council at any time during the last 5 years, or if they are a relative or close friend of a member or employee of the council.

Draft Statement of Accounts 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to receive and comment on the draft Statement of Accounts for 2024/25. The report pack included the draft Statement of Accounts 2024 25 and Accounting Policies. The report pack noted that the council is required to prepare annual financial accounts covering the period from 1 April to 31 March, in accordance with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the United Kingdom. It was also noted that the Executive Director of Finance and Transformation, as Section 151 officer¹, is responsible for selecting the council's accounting policies. The report pack also noted a change to the accounting policies used in the preparation of the accounts, relating to the introduction of IFRS 16 Leases². The report pack included a timetable of activities in relation to the 2024/25 Statement of Accounts:

The report pack also included a summary of the purpose of the Statement of Accounts, and the four main statements it comprises:

• The Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement (CIES)
• The Movement in Reserves Statement
• The Balance Sheet
• The Cash Flow Statement

Strategic Risk Register Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the key strategic risks faced by the council. The report pack noted that effective risk management is a key element of good corporate governance, and is essential to the overall performance of the council in meeting its corporate plan objectives. The following table shows a summary of the current risk profile:

Annual Governance Statement 2024/25

The committee was scheduled to review and comment on the Annual Governance Statement 2024/25. The report pack noted that the council is responsible for ensuring that its business is conducted in accordance with the law and proper standards, and that public money is safeguarded and properly accounted for, and used economically, efficiently and effectively. It was also noted that the council has adopted a code of corporate governance, which is consistent with the principles of the CIPFA/SOLACE Framework Delivering Good Governance in Local Government.

Audit and Risk Assurance Committee – Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to approve the Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee before it is presented to a future meeting of the council. The report pack noted that the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee is a key component of the council's corporate governance framework, and provides an independent and high-level focus on the audit, risk management, assurance and reporting arrangements that underpin good governance and financial standards. The report pack included the following table outlining the membership of the committee during the 2024/25 year, and the proposed membership for the 2025/26 year:

The report pack also noted that the committee met on the following dates:

• 18 September 2024
• 12 December 2024
• 20 February 2025
• 3 April 2025
• 26 June 2025

The report pack listed the business that the committee conducted during the 2024/25 year, including items relating to external audit, internal audit and counter fraud, risk management and governance.