Issue - meetings

To consider the updated Audit Committee Risk Register.

The Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer) presented the updated Audit Committee Risk Register, with the Audit Committee having last reviewed the Risk Register in December 2021.

The Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer) informed Members that the register currently had 4 live risks which were:-

·        challenges due to inexperience;

·        inability to carry out statutory requirements;

·        the effectiveness of the Audit Committee due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic; and

·        the effectiveness of the Audit Committee being limited by the resource implications of implementation of Local Government Reorganisation in Cumbria and the risk of reduced support to the Committee due to increased service demands elsewhere in the organisation.

The Finance Lead Specialist (Section 151 Officer) suggested that the risk relating to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic could be archived as regular meetings of the Audit Committee had resumed, the payment of grants was coming to an end and that Internal and External Audit had been working effectively both in person and virtually.

RESOLVED – That the updated Audit Committee Risk Register be noted.