The Audit and Standards Committee of Newcastle-under-Lyme Council were scheduled to meet on 29 September 2025 to discuss risk management, internal audit progress, and health and safety. Also scheduled for discussion was the Audited Statement of Accounts for 2024/25.

Corporate Risk Management

The Corporate Risk Management Report Quarter 1 2025-26 was scheduled to be discussed. The report noted that the council uses GRACE software¹ to monitor and manage risks. According to the report, there were no overdue risk reviews, and no risk levels had increased during the quarter. However, two new risks had been added to the register:

• Supported Accommodation, rated as High E
• Town Centre Regeneration/Development Failure, rated as Medium C

Appendix A - New Risks Q1 provided further detail on these risks. The Corporate Risk Register, as of 18 July 2025, was also included for review in Appendix B - Corporate Risks.

Internal Audit Progress

The 2025/26 Q1 Internal Audit Progress Report was also scheduled to be discussed at the meeting. The report provided an update on the progress of the Internal Audit Plan for the period 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2025.

The report stated that no audits had been completed during the reporting period, but that the scheduling and initiation of audits was underway. The plan included audits of:

• Regeneration Schemes
• Budgetary Control
• Management of Capital Programme & Budgets
• Treasury Management - Borrowing
• Cyber - Incident Preparedness and Response Effectiveness
• New Customer Relationship Management System
• Planning Appeals
• Taxi Licensing
• Homelessness and Rough Sleepers Grants
• Disabled Facilities Grant
• Workforce Sustainability
• Civil Contingencies
• Payroll
• Sustainable Environment Strategy

The report also noted that there were 111 audit recommendations being tracked, with 47 implemented, 4 risk accepted, 2 superseded, and 58 not yet implemented. None of the recommendations were currently overdue.

Health and Safety

The Health and Safety Annual Report 2024-25 was included in the report pack. The report outlined the current state of health and safety matters during the twelve months from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025.

Policies and guidance reviewed during the period included:

• Corporate Health and Safety Policy
• Corporate Employee Handbook
• Driving for Work Policy

The report noted that accidents had increased in the period, but this was primarily due to unpreventable slips and trips during the cold winter. It also noted that near miss reporting had improved.

The Corporate Health and Safety Officer / Technical Assistant had completed inspections of a number of properties, including Jubilee 2, Kidsgrove Customer Service Centre, Keele Cemetery, Bradwell Crematorium, Brampton Museum, and Queen Elizabeth Park Pavilion.

Audited Statement of Accounts

The Audited Statement of Accounts 2024/25 was listed in the agenda. The report pack included the Statement of Accounts 2024-25 Amended 22.9.25, NULBC ISA 260 2024-25 for ASC, and NULBC VFM Risk Assessment 24-25 for ASC.