Agenda and minutes

The Committee is asked to confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26th February 2019.

The minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26th February 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed.

Councillor Bolton volunteered to be the Audit Committee Vice-Chair for 2019/20. The proposal was put to the vote by the committee.

RESOLVED that Councillor Bolton be appointed Vice-chair of the Committee for the Council year 2019/20.

No disclosures were made.

No questions were submitted.

No questions had been submitted.

Report of the External Auditors.

A report of the External Auditors providing a progress report and technical update was submitted to the Committee for consideration.

Jon Machej from Mazars attended the meeting and assisted with the item.

RESOLVED That the Committee notes the report.

Reason

To acknowledge the Committee’s consideration of this item.

Report of the Head of Planning and Regeneration Service.

A reportoftheHeadofPlanningandRegenerationwassubmitted(item6 on theagendafiledwiththeseminutes).

The Head of Planning and Regeneration and theSustainabilityOfficerattendedthemeetingto assisttheCommitteewith theconsideration of thisitem.

The Committee was advised that new auditors had been employed who were more thorough and had impressed the team. Action had been taken on all the issues or recommendations highlighted and the team was confident that there were processes in place to ensure that all of the actions would be completed.

RESOLVED

1.thatanupdateonthe outcomes of the Environmental Audit be provided to the Committee at their October meeting.

2.thatthe report benoted.

Reasons

1.ToallowtheCommitteetobekeptupto datewiththeprogressofissues identified.

2.TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportwiththeadditionofthefirstresolution.

Report of the Head of Finance and Property Services, to follow.

A report of the Head of Finance and Property Services was submitted reporting on the Treasury Management, Investment Management and Prudential Code Outturns for the year 2018/19 (item 7 on the agenda with these minutes).

The Strategic Director for Corporate Services attended the meeting to assist with consideration of the item.

The Committee was advised that the Council had been prudent over the last year in terms of investment but the property fund investments had yielded good returns.

RESOLVED

1.    That information regarding the differing figures in the General Fund and HRA between the February and June  Audit Committee meetings be provided to the Committee following the meeting.

2.     That more detailed information regarding the changing levels of investment funds be provided to the Committee following the meeting.

3.    That the report be noted.

Reasons

1&2. To provide the Committee with the information requested regarding the matter.

3.To acknowledge the Committee’s consideration of this item.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadofStrategicSupportwassubmitted presenting the Internal Audit Charter to the Committee for approval(item8onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

TheHead of Strategic Support attendedthemeetingto assisttheCommittee with theconsideration ofthis item.

RESOLVEDthatthereportbenoted.

Reason

TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportandhadnospecificareasof concernor actions thatit wished toincludeaspart of its decision.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadof  StrategicSupportwassubmitted to the Committee to consider the amounts claimed by members of the Borough Council and co-opted members under the Council’s Member’s Allowances Scheme for 2018/19.  (item9 onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

The  Head of  Strategic  Support   attended  the  meeting  to  assist  with consideration of theitem.

RESOLVEDthat thereportbeapproved.

Reason

TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportandhadnospecificareasof concernor actions thatit wished toincludeaspart of its decision.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadofStrategicSupportwassubmitted to provide the Committee with information regarding the operation of the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy and Whistle-blowing Policy during 2018/19 (item10onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

TheHeadofStrategicSupportattendedthemeetingto assisttheCommittee with theconsideration ofthis item.

RESOLVEDthatthereportbenoted.

Reason

TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportandhadnospecificareasof concernor actions thatit wished toincludeaspart of itsdecision.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadofStrategicSupportwassubmitted presenting the Annual Internal Audit report(item11 onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

TheHead of Strategic Support attendedthe meetingto assist the Committee with theconsideration ofthis item.

The Committee was advised that there had been some slippage during the year due to lack of resource within the Audit Team. This was being addressed by considering options for the future of the service which included sharing the service with a neighbouring authority. The Committee noted their concern about the lack of work completed and their willingness for the solution to work.

RESOLVEDthatthereportbenoted.

Reason

TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportonce they had been advised that the Council was looking at options for the service to address the lack of resource within the Audit Team.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadofStrategicSupportwassubmitted summarising the progress against audits for the 2018/19 Audit Plan(item12onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

TheHead of Strategic Support attendedthemeetingto assisttheCommittee with theconsideration ofthis item.

RESOLVED that the report be noted.

Reason

To acknowledge the Committee’s consideration of this item.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A reportoftheHeadofStrategicSupportwassubmitted providing the Committee with details of the Strategic Risk Register produced for the period up to 2019/20(item13onthe agendafiledwith theseminutes).

TheHead of Strategic Support attendedthemeetingto assisttheCommittee with theconsideration ofthis item.

The Committee was advised that following a peer challenge review the previous year the Council had made significant changes to the Risk Register. The Register was updated in November along with the procedure guide and the Council started to include its risk appetite. There were actions in place to check the register was operating successfully and the register would also be reviewed on a quarterly basis to ensure it was up to date.

RESOLVEDthatthereportbenoted.

Reason

TheCommitteewascontentwiththereportandhadnospecificareasof concernor actions thatit wished toincludeaspart of its decision.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support was submitted providing the Committee with a summary of the Council’s use of RIPA powers (item 14 on the agenda included with these minutes).

TheHead of Strategic Support attendedthemeetingto assisttheCommittee with theconsideration ofthis item.

RESOLVEDthatit benoted thatthere has beenno usemadeofRIPA powers by the Councilfor theperiodfrom 1stAugustto31stOctober 2017.

Reason

ToenabletheCommitteeto comply withtherequest fromCabinet that the AuditCommitteeassumesresponsibility forreceivinga quarterly reportonthe use ofRIPA,andto reporttoCabinetanyconcernsarising fromthosereports thatmayindicatethattheuseofRIPA is not consistentwiththePolicyorthat Policymaynotbefitfor purpose.

Report of the Head of Strategic Support.

A report of the Head of Strategic Support was submitted to enable the Committee to consider its work programme (item 15 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

RESOLVED that the Committee proceeds on the basis of the following work programme, which incorporates all decisions made at this meeting: