The Combined Fire Authority for County Durham and Darlington Audit and Finance Committee is scheduled to consider its financial position and future planning. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the audit completion report for the year ending March 2025, the statement of accounts for the same period, and the corporate risk register. Discussions are also planned regarding the forecast outturn for 2025/26, short-term investments and long-term borrowing, and the budget and medium-term financial plan for 2026/27.

Audit Completion Report and Statement of Accounts

A key item on the agenda is the Audit Completion Report for the year ended 31 March 2025, prepared by the External Audit. This report will be presented alongside the Statement of Accounts for the same financial year. The Statement of Accounts provides a detailed financial overview of the Combined Fire Authority's activities. The report pack indicates that these documents will be presented for consideration.

Corporate Risk Register

The committee is also scheduled to review the Corporate Risk Register as of 31 December 2025. This register is a crucial document for understanding the potential risks facing the Combined Fire Authority and the strategies in place to manage them. The report of the Deputy Chief Executive will provide an update on the current position of these risks.

Financial Forecasts and Budget Planning

Further financial matters to be addressed include the Forecast of Outturn for 2025/26, based on information from Quarter Three. This forecast will offer an indication of the projected financial performance for the current financial year. Additionally, the committee will consider reports on Short Term Investments and Long-Term Borrowing for Quarter Three of 2025/26.

A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to the 2026/27 Budget and Medium Term Financial Plan. This will involve a review of the proposed budget for the upcoming financial year and the broader financial strategy for the medium term. The report of the Deputy Chief Executive will outline these plans.

The meeting will also consider the minutes of the last meeting, which took place on 27 November 2025. These minutes are available for review.

The meeting is being held at the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters and will be attended by councillors from both Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council. These include Councillor Ian Catchpole, Councillor Richard Bell, Councillor Dawn Bellingham, Councillor Christine Blatchford, Councillor David Freeman, Councillor Andrew Anderson, and Councillor David Ray. The meeting is being held under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1972, a foundational piece of legislation for local government in England and Wales.