Key Takeaways
- •Cornwall Council approved the Annual Governance Statement for 2024-25, identifying joint commissioning arrangements for Health and Social Care as the only significant governance issue requiring action.
- •External auditors confirmed they will sign off the financial statements after finding two major adjustments that did not affect the year-end position or usable reserves.
- •The Council successfully met the statutory deadline of 30 June for producing financial statements, demonstrating strong performance compared to other authorities.
- •Auditors issued recommendations focusing on financial sustainability, particularly regarding the Dedicated Schools Grant deficit which remains a sector-wide concern.
- •Members requested improvements to policy accessibility and climate reporting, with officers agreeing to create a single webpage for all Council policies and review dates.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain errors. Read the full minutes for the official record.
The Audit Committee first resolved, on motion by Councillor Magowan and seconded by Councillor Boase, that the minutes and confidential minutes of its 14 November 2025 meeting were correctly recorded and signed by the Chairman. The Group Manager for Assurance presented the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for the period 1 April 2024 to31 March 2025, which outlined the Council’s governance arrangements, compliance with policies and statutory duties, and a self‑assessment against the seven CIPFA principles. The AGS identified joint commissioning arrangements for Health and Social Care as a significant governance issue with actions planned for 2025‑2026. Members raised a series of queries – including the absence of material whistle‑blowing reports
Attendance
8 of 11 members present
Decisions
Approval of Audit Committee minutes (14 Nov 2025)
The council approved the Audit Committee’s regular and confidential minutes from the November 14 2025 meeting, confirming they were correctly recorded and signed by the chairman.
Resolution to review External Auditor’s Annual Report 2024/25
The council will review the 2024/25 external auditor’s report, consider management’s responses, and ask for any needed clarification.
Resolution to consider External Auditor’s Annual Report and seek clarifications
The council reviewed the external auditor’s annual report, asked officers for any needed clarification, and gave comments as appropriate.
Approval of proposed changes to Financial Governance Framework
The council should approve the suggested changes to the Financial Governance Framework as described in Appendix 1.
Approval of proposed changes to Financial Approvals Process
The council should approve the proposed changes to the financial approvals process outlined in Appendix 1.
Notation of proposed changes to Financial Procedure Rules
The council recommends officially recording the suggested changes to the Financial Procedure Rules (shown in Appendix 2), pending approval of earlier recommendations.
Adoption of CIPFA self‑assessment and related actions
The council agreed to acknowledge the CIPFA statement, assess the Audit Committee’s effectiveness, and include the results in the Annual Report.
Related meetings
Adjacent Audit Committee meetings:
Other meetings within a week
- Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee — Health and Adult Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 7 January 2026 (7 Jan 2026)
- Cornwall Schools Forum — Cornwall Schools Forum - 9 January 2026 (9 Jan 2026)
- Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee — Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry Joint Committee - 12 January 2026 (12 Jan 2026)
- Central Sub-Area Planning Committee — Central Sub-Area Planning Committee - 12 January 2026 (12 Jan 2026)
- Sustainable Growth and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee — Sustainable Growth and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 13 January 2026 (13 Jan 2026)
- Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee — Together for Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee - 14 January 2026 (14 Jan 2026)