Terms of Reference
Audit and Finance
a)
Review and approve the financial statements,
external auditor’s opinion and reports to members, and
monitor management action in response to the issues raised by
external audit.
b)
To consider the Head of Internal Audit’s
annual report and opinion on the Council’s corporate
governance arrangements.
c)
To conduct reviews of the effectiveness of the
Council’s system of internal audit.
d)
Be satisfied that the authority’s assurance
statement, including the annual governance statement, properly
reflects the risk environment and any actions required to improve
it.
e)
Approve (but not direct) internal audit’s
strategy, plan and monitor performance.
f)
Review summary internal audit reports and the main
issues arising, and seek assurance that action has been taken,
where necessary.
g)
Consider the effectiveness of the authority’s
risk management arrangements, the control environment and
associated anti-fraud and anti-corruption arrangements, and seek
assurance that action is being taken to mitigate those risks
identified.
h)
To make recommendations to Council on Contract
Standing Orders.
i)
To make recommendations to Council on the Financial
Procedure Rules.
j)
To maintain an overview of the Council’s
Whistle-blowing Policy.
Standards
To discharge the functions as set out in Part 1,
Chapter 7 of the Localism Act 2011 including:
a)
To promote and maintain high standards of conduct by
members and co-opted members of Shepway District Council and to
make recommendations to Council on improving standards.
b)
To advise and assist parish/town councils, and
parish/town councillors, to maintain high standards of conduct and
to make recommendations to parish/town councils on improving
standards.
c)
To advise the District Council on the adoption of,
or revisions to, its Code of Conduct.
d)
To advise, train, or arrange to train, district
members, co-opted members and parish/town councillors on matters
relating to the Code of Conduct.
e)
To assist the district councillors, co-opted members
and parish/town councillors to observe their respective Codes of
Conduct.
f)
To monitor and assess the operation and
effectiveness for dealing with the Code of Conduct and to review
and manage the arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct
complaints.
g)
To advise on local ethical governance protocols and
procedures.
h)
To maintain oversight of the District
Council’s arrangements for dealing with Code of Conduct
complaints.
i)
To act as an advisory body in respect of any ethical
governance matter.
j)
To monitor and review the procedures for the
Register of Members’ Interests and declaring gifts and
hospitality.
k)
To receive quarterly reports (or less frequently, if
there are no complaints to report), from the Monitoring Officer, on
the number and nature of complaints received, and action taken, as
a result, in consultation with the Independent Person.
l)
To receive an annual report on the District
Council’s ethical governance arrangements.
m)
To make recommendations to Council on the
appointment of an Independent Person(s) under S28 of the Localism
Act 2011.
n)
To grant dispensations pursuant to Section 33(2) of
the Localism Act 2011 and paragraph 8 of the adopted Code of
Conduct where:
o
so many members of the decision-making body have
Disclosable Pecuniary Interests in a
matter, that it would impede the transaction of the business;
or
o
without a dispensation, no member of the executive
would be able to participate on a particular item of
business;
o
without a dispensation, the representation of
different political groups, on the body transacting the business,
would be so upset as to alter the outcome of any voting on the
matter;
o
that the authority considers that the dispensation
is in the interests of persons living in the area; or
o
where the committee considers that it is otherwise
appropriate to grant a dispensation.