To present the updated Internal Audit Plan for 2025/26 for approval by Committee.

N.B: Papers to follow.

The Director of Finance (DOF) introduced the Internal Audit Plan 2025/26. The following principal points were noted:

·       The plan had been developed using a risk based, assurance mapping approach, which aligned to the council’s corporate objectives and priorities and the key risks which may prevent them from being achieved. It had been informed by a variety of sources including the Council Plan 2024-2028, Delivery Plan 2025/26, Corporate Risk Register and Risk Management Strategy.

·       Each of the core financial system audits are to be audited with sufficient regularity to provide assurance that foundations and building blocks are in place to give opportunity to address any weaknesses in a more timely manner.

·       The Plan would remain flexible and included an element of contingency in order to be able to respond to new and emerging risks as and when they are identified.

·       The traditional framework approach enables the council and members of the audit and governance committee to hold the delivery of internal audit work throughout the year to account.

In response to committee questions, it was noted:

1. An audit in the procurement of the public realm contract had already been undertaken, but a further audit would be undertaken and likely included on the audit plan for 2026/27 once contract management works and service delivery had been experienced.
2. There are two principal and two senior auditors assigned to Herefordshire. The Head of Internal Audit (HIA) had a further 6 auditors in her team, who could be redeployed to work on the Herefordshire audit plan as and if required.

RESOLVED: The committee approves the internal audit plan 2025/26.