Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee

What does this committee do?

The objective of the committee is to provide independent assurance, oversight and assistance to Council on risk management, control, governance, internal audits, organisational performance and external responsibilities in an advisory capacity.

The responsibilities of the committee will include, but not be limited to, keeping under review the following aspects of Council’s operations:

• Compliance

• Risk management

• Fraud control

• Financial management

• Governance

• Implementation of the strategic plan, delivery program and strategies

• Service reviews

• Collection of performance measurement data by the Council, and

• Any other matter prescribed by the regulations

As part of this objective, the Committee will ensure that there are adequate and effective systems of internal control in place throughout Council and will assist in the implementation of the internal and external audit plans. The committee is also to provide information to the Council for the purpose of improving the Council’s performance of its functions.

The Committee’s role is to review aspects of Council’s operation and provide advice and guidance to Council for the purpose of improving the performance of its functions.

On an annual basis the Chair will provide an Audit, Risk and Improvement Annual Report to Council along with the Audit Plan for the coming year.

Committee Membership

The Committee membership (voting) comprises two elected Councillors and three independent external members, one of whom is the Chairperson.

The members of the Committee are:

Stephen Coates (Chair)

Stephen has a background as an experienced internal audit professional. He is currently President of IIA-Australia and member of the global International Internal Audit Standards Board (IIASB). Stephen has held senior roles in advisory and consulting services, technology risk consulting, and assurance services. His focus is on authoritative, independent, and confidential advice to enterprise and technology leadership on delivering improved strategic deployment, risk culture, technology insight and systems and operations performance. He also chairs a number of Audit Risk & Improvement Committees nationally. Stephen tries to bring a culture of continuous improvement to his work, and has a passion is helping Boards and Committees make good decisions.

Sheridan Dudley 
BA, LLB, Dip Crim, MAdmin

Sheridan has over 30 years’ experience as a chief executive and leader in state and local government and the not-for-profit sector, focusing on delivering strategic redirection, policy reform and high quality services. Sheridan has been District Commissioner South West on the Greater Sydney Commission, Chief of Staff to the NSW Minister for Education, the Hon Adrian Piccoli, MP, General Manager of Camden Council and Chief Executive Officer of KU Children’s Services and of Job Futures Ltd.

She is currently a Visiting Fellow in the School of Education at the University of NSW where she is a Doctor of Education candidate, company secretary of the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement, a Board member of the children’s rural health charity Royal Far West, and a member of two Council Audit Risk and Improvement Committees.

Mark McCoy 
BCom MBA FCA FFin FCG (CS, CGP) FGIA FAICD

Mark has twenty years of experience as a non-executive director in banking, software, hospital and aged care sectors, and as chair of various board committees for over fifteen years.

His ‘day job’ is running his own professional practice advising the boards and CEOs of public and private sector clients on a wide range of governance-related and other business issues.

He has taught twenty different accounting, finance, business information systems, governance and international business subjects to post-graduate and undergraduate students at four universities during the last fifteen years.

He was the original author of all director-related governance guidance notes published by Lexis Nexis through a subscription service.

Cr Alan Tickle

Deputy Mayor, Cr Alan Tickle is one of the appointed Councillors to the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.

For further information about Cr Tickle, visit the Councillors page on our website.

Cr Jeremy Miller

Cr Jeremy Miller is one of the appointed Councillors to the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.

For further information about Cr Miller, visit the Councillors page on our website.

The General Manager and other staff participate in Committee meetings as required.

Committee meetings

The Committee shall meet at least four times per year (quarterly), with the standard duration for a meeting being three hours. If necessary, an additional meeting will be held to review and endorse the annual audited financial reports and external audit opinion. Preparation will involve review and critical analysis of the agenda pack.

Enquiries

All enquiries or requests for information should be directed to Rob Griffiths, Manager Governance on 0427 062 593 or email council@midcoast.nsw.gov.au.