What Happened at the Latest Council Audit & Risk Committee?
Key Takeaways from the 9 December 2025 Meeting
The Council’s Audit and Risk Committee met on Tuesday 9 December 2025 at Antrim Civic Centre to review how well the Council is managing public money, risks, and performance.
While these meetings don’t usually grab headlines, they play a crucial role in making sure local services are well-run and accountable.
Here’s a breakdown of what was discussed and why it matters to residents.
🧾 Council Finances: A Clean Bill of Health
One of the most important updates came from the Northern Ireland Audit Office (NIAO), which confirmed that:
The Council’s 2024/25 accounts have been fully audited
The Annual Audit Letter raised no major concerns
There were no statutory recommendations for improvement
In plain terms: the Council’s finances are being managed properly, with no serious red flags identified by external auditors.
📊 Performance: Council “Likely to Meet Its Legal Duties”
Auditors also reviewed how the Council is performing against its legal duty to deliver continuous improvement.
Their conclusion?
✔️ The Council is on track to meet its performance improvement responsibilities for 2025/26
✔️ The audit opinion was unqualified, meaning no issues serious enough to require changes
This is reassuring news for residents who rely on Council services day-to-day.
🔍 Internal Audits: New Strategy on the Way
The Committee approved a draft Internal Audit Strategy for 2026–2030, which will guide how audits are carried out over the next five years.
Key points:
The strategy aligns with the Council’s long-term corporate plan
A 4-week internal consultation began on 10 December
Final approval is expected in early 2026
Internal audits help identify problems early — before they turn into costly issues.
⚠️ Risks Facing the Council Reviewed
Senior officers carried out a detailed review of the Corporate Risk Register, which tracks major risks such as:
Staff absence
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Organisational and financial pressures
The updated risk register was reviewed by the Committee and will continue to be monitored quarterly.
🛡️ Tackling Fraud & Duplicate Payments
Following a National Fraud Initiative exercise, officers reported on work to clean up the Council’s supplier (creditor) database.
What they found:
A small number of potential duplicate supplier records
No confirmed fraud cases
Additional checks now in place when setting up new suppliers
The Council is also exploring how AI tools could help detect errors or duplicates in future, once an AI policy is approved.
🧑⚖️ Governance & Accountability Updates
Other notable items included:
The Council’s updated Code of Governance (published November 2025)
Confirmation that Brian O’Neill will become the new Local Government Auditor from January 2026
Agreement to send a formal letter of thanks to the outgoing auditor for her service
🔒 Confidential Matters
As with most Audit & Risk meetings, part of the session was held in confidence to discuss ongoing investigations and concerns. No public action was required following this update.
⏭️ What Happens Next?
A self-assessment of the Audit & Risk Committee will take place in February 2026
Consultation feedback on the Internal Audit Strategy will be reviewed in March
Regular updates on risks, audits, and performance will continue
Why This Matters
While these meetings aren’t about day-to-day service decisions, they’re essential for:
Protecting public money
Ensuring good governance
Reducing risks before they affect services
Holding the Council to account
If you care about how your Council is run behind the scenes, this was a positive and largely reassuring meeting.
Source: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council