Agenda and minutes

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Items
No. Item

15.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 36 KB

To agree the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 13 June 2017, as a correct record

 

Minutes:

Resolved: That the minutes of the Committee held on 13 June 2017 be agreed and signed as a correct record subject to the deletion of Cllr Reay from the list of Members in attendance as he was also recorded as present as Vice Chairman.

 

16.

Declarations of Interest

Any declarations of interest not already registered.

Minutes:

There were none.

 

17.

Actions from Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 13 KB

Minutes:

The actions were noted.

18.

Responses of the Council, Cabinet or Council Committees to the Committee's reports or recommendations

Minutes:

There were none.

 

19.

Statement of Accounts 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 29 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee welcomed Sarah Ironmonger, the Engagement Lead and Geoffrey Bannister, the Audit Manager from the Council’s External Auditors, Grant Thornton to the meeting.

 

The Head of Finance presented a report on the Statement of Accounts 2016/17 and the representatives of Grant Thornton explained their findings on the Statement of Accounts, which were to be signed off by the end of September 2017. Members noted that there were no material issues to be brought to the attention of the Committee and that the external auditor expected to issue an unqualified opinion on the financial statements and value for money conclusion.

 

Resolved:  That

 

a)     the Statement of Accounts 2016/17 be approved; and

 

b)     the letter of representation, attached as Appendix B to the report, be approved and signed by the Chairman.

Farewell

The Chairman advised the Committee that it was Helen Martin’s (Head of Finance) last meeting before her retirement, and asked Members to join him in showing their appreciation for her work over the years.

20.

Local Code of Corporate Governance pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Legal & Democratic Services and Monitoring Officer, presented the report which updated the Local Code of Corporate Governance agreed at Performance and Governance Committee on 24 June 2008. The Chief Finance Officer had delegated Part 13  para.13 (l) of the Council’s Constitution to the Monitoring Officer ‘for maintaining effective corporate governance arrangements and the preparation of the Annual Governance Statement’, in addition to this the report sought delegated authority to amend the Code in line with good practice.  It was agreed that it would be good practice for the Committee to approve the Local Code of Corporate Governance once at the beginning of each electoral cycle.

Resolved:  That

 

a)     the amended Local Code of Corporate Governance as set out in the Appendix to the report, be adopted; and

 

b)     the Monitoring Officer be delegated authority to maintain and amend the Local Code of Corporate Governance in line with good practice.

21.

Members Allowance Scheme Monitoring pdf icon PDF 22 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report briefly outlining members’ allowances claimed during 2016/17, as within its terms of reference, the Committee was required ‘to monitor the implementation of the Members’ Allowance Scheme’.

 

Resolved:  That the report be noted.

22.

Internal Audit 2017/18 - 1st Progress Report pdf icon PDF 28 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chairman explained that since the last meeting of the Committee the Council had parted company with the former Audit, Risk and Anti-Fraud Manager.  The Principal Auditor presented the report which provided details of the progress of the Internal Audit Team in delivering the Annual Internal Audit Plan 2017/18 and outcomes of final Internal Audit reports issued since the meeting of the Committee in June 2017.  The Committee noted that the progress of the Internal Audit Plan was much improved on previous years.

 

Resolved:  That the contents of the report and the progress made by the Internal Audit Team in delivering the 2017/18 Annual Internal Audit Plan, be noted.

 

23.

Report on Internal Audit Recommendations Outstanding pdf icon PDF 26 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Auditor presented the report which updated Members on progress of the implementation of Internal Audit Recommendations agreed with management, and reported on outstanding recommendations due for implementation by 31 July 2017.

The report also informed the Committee where implementation dates had been revised, where agreed recommendations had not been implemented or were no longer intended.

 

Resolved:  That

a)     review the information in Appendix A and request further information or explanation as appropriate; and

 

b)     the reasons for delayed implementation be noted, where the ranking was medium or high; and the revised dates for implementation provided by management, as set out in Appendix B to the report, endorsed.

 

 

24.

Risk Management Report pdf icon PDF 23 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Auditor presented the report which sought approval of a revised Risk Management Strategy in light of recent tragic events such as the Grenfell Tower fire and the terrorism attacks.

 

Resolved:  That the Council’s revised Risk Management Strategy be approved.

25.

Draft Strategic Risk Register pdf icon PDF 39 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Principal Auditor presented the report which provided Members with the opportunity to review and comment on the Council’s Draft Strategic Risk Register. The Draft Register had been developed by Officers, taking into account the views of the Officers Risk Management Group, Service Managers and Chief Officers. It set out the threats that Officers considered could prevent the Council delivering the Vision and Promises set out in the Council’s Corporate Plan and the opportunities, which could enhance effective delivery.

Resolved:  That the Draft Strategic Risk Register be agreed.

26.

Work Plan pdf icon PDF 21 KB

Minutes:

The work plan was noted.  The Member Working Group set for Summer 2018 was moved to 17 April 2018, the Statement of Accounts 2016/17 was added to Summer 2018 and the External Audit Statement of Accounts Training also set for Summer 2018 was deleted.

 

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