Report to:	Audit Committee
Date:	4 July 2025
By:	Deputy Chief Executive
Title of report:	Assessment of the Corporate Governance Framework and Annual Governance Statement for 2024/25
Purpose of report:	To consider the draft report to the Governance Committee on the Annual Assessment of the Corporate Governance Framework and draft Annual Governance Statement.
RECOMMENDATIONS:  The Committee is recommended to: 1) Consider the draft report to the Governance Committee and its appendix (set out in Appendix A); and 2) Confirm whether there are any changes to the draft Annual Governance Statement that the Committee wishes to recommend to the Governance Committee.

1. Supporting Information

1.1     Under its terms of reference, it is the role of this Committee: “To review the Council’s assurance statements, includingthe Annual Governance Statement, ensuring that they properly reflect the risk environment, and any actions required to improve it.”

1.2     The Council publishes its AnnualGovernance Statement (AGS) in compliance with the requirements of the Accountsand Audit Regulations 2015. It is also reported separately to the Governance Committee as part of the AnnualAssessment of the Corporate Governance Framework.

1.3     The draft Governance Committee report is attached as Appendix A, and the draft Annual Governance Statement is included as Appendix 1 to the draft report at Appendix A. Any comments the Committee wishes to make will be reported to the Governance Committee at its meeting on 15 July 2025. In reviewing the AGS report, Audit Committee Members should consider whether it properly reflects the Council’s risk and internal control environment.

PHILIP BAKER

Deputy Chief Executive

Contact officers:

Russell Banks, Orbis Chief Internal Auditor, 07842 362739

Summer Kelly, Governance and Democracy Officer, 01273 336654

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

Proformas returned by document “owners” setting out whether the various codes, policies and strategies are being complied with.