Audit Committee minutes

Decided · A decision has been taken.

The Audit Committee met on 23 February 2026. p1

The Head of Housing presented a report on the outcome of a Homes England compliance audit, which received a green outcome, and the committee resolved unanimously to acknowledge the contents of the report and record it on the Investment Management System Compliance Audit System. p5

The backstop date for publishing the council's final, audited 2024-25 accounts has been set at 27 February 2026. p8

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• p1Audit Committee — minutes of the meeting on 23/02/2026
• p528. Homes England Compliance Audit Report 2025/26 The Head of Housing presented a report to inform the committee of the outcome of the Homes England compliance audit. Hastings Borough Council is a Homes England Investment Partner, which means the council can bid for grant funding to support the development of affordable housing. The council has also re-activated its Registered Provider status so that it can provide affordable housing directly. As a registered provider of affordable housing with Homes England, an external audit is required each year to ensure grant funding is being used appropriately. External auditors completed the review and submitted the report, which resulted in a ‘green’ outcome. This positive rating means the council can continue to receive Affordable Homes Grant funding to support its acquisition and development programme. Homes England expects the report to be formally considered by the authority. Councillors were asked to note the report so that confirmation can be returned to Homes England, enabling continued access to grant funding for acquiring and developing properties as an alternative to private temporary accommodation. In reply to a question the Head of Housing confirmed that the audit takes place annually and the council received a green rating last year. He thanked colleagues in the housing team, particularly the Homes Manager and Major Projects Officer, who led on this work. RESOLVED (unanimously): To acknowledge the contents of the compliance audit report and record this on the Investment Management System (IMS) Compliance Audit System. Reasons: The council has been subject to a compliance audit by Homes England and now needs to acknowledge the findings of the report.
• p8These announced a series of ‘backstop dates’ for the publication of final, audited accounts. For the 2024 to 2025 accounts the backstop has been set at 27 February 2026.