Meeting documents

The Council
Thursday, 23rd July, 2015 6.30 pm

Audit Minutes

Date:
Wednesday, 24th June, 2015
Time:
18:30
Place:
Civic Suite, Civic Centre
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
62 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Courtenay.
63 Declarations of interest.
 (a) Councillor Betson - South Essex Homes Annual Governance Statement 2014/15 and Supporting Reports - Board Member of South Essex Homes - disqualifying non-pecuniary interest (was able to participate in the debate and vote by virtue of the dispensation agreed by the Standards Committee at its meeting held on 19th February 2015, under S.33 of the Localism Act 2011).

(b) Councillor McMahon - South Essex Homes Annual Governance Statement 2014/15 and Supporting Reports - Former Board Member of South Essex Homes - non-pecuniary interest

(c) Councillor Betson - Relevant agenda items - Employee of HMRC dealing with international trade - non-pecuniary interest
64 Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 25th March, 2015
  • Minutes
Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on 25th March 2015 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
65 South Essed Homes: Annual Governance Statement 2014/15 and Supporting Reports
Business for item 65
Resolved:-

That the assurance provided by South Essex Homes regarding the operation of its risk management, control and governance arrangements throughout 2014/15, be accepted.
66 Local Code of Governance Review
Business for item 66
Resolved:-

1. That the Local Code of Governance be recommended for approval by Cabinet.

2. That once approved, the Council's Constitution be updated with the revised Local Code of Governance.
67 Internal Audit Services, Quarterly Performance Report
Business for item 67
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the 2014/15 Internal Audit Strategy, be noted.
68 Corporate Risk Management Policy, Strategy and Toolkit 2015
Business for item 68
Resolved:-

That the Council's Risk Management Policy, Strategy and Toolkit, outlined in appendices 1 and 2 to the submitted report, be endorsed.
69 Counter Fraud & Investigatioin Directorate, Annual Report 2014/2015 and Strategy for 2015/2016
Business for item 69
Resolved:-

1. That the Counter Fraud & Investigation Directorate's final performance information for 2014/15, be noted.

2. That the 2015/16 Corporate Counter Fraud & Investigation Strategy be endorsed.
70 Head of Internal Audit Annual Report 2015/15
Business for item 70
Resolved:-

1. That the Head of Internal Audit's Annual Report for 2014/15, be accepted.

2. That the contents of the submitted report be appropriately reflected in the Council's Annual Governance Statement.
71 Annual Governance Statement 2014/15
Business for item 71
Resolved:-

That, subject to any further views expressed by External Audit, the Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15 be approved and recommended to the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive for authorisation and signature.
72 Corporate Risk Register 2015/16
Business for item 72
Resolved:-

That the 2015/16 Corporate Risk Register, be noted.
73 BDO: Progress Report to those Charged with Governance
Business for item 73
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the Annual Audit Plans for 2014/15, be accepted.
74 BDO: Planning Letter 2015/16
Business for item 74
Resolved:-

That the Planning Letter for 2015/16, be approved.
75 BDO: Audit Recommendations Arising from the CCTV/Parking Objections
Business for item 75
Resolved:-

That the recommendations arising from CCTV/parking objections, be accepted.
76 CIPFA Better Governance Forum, Audit Committee Update, Issue 16
 The Committee noted the following document:-

- CIPFA Better Governance Forum, Audit Committee Update - Issue 16
18.30/20.40

Attendance Details

Present:
Councillor Betson (Chairman),
Councillors Ayling, Buckley, Davidson, McMahon, Nevin, Robertson and Stafford and Mr R Everitt (Co-opted Member)
In attendance:
S Holland, I Ambrose, T MacGregor, L Everard, G Mortimer, E Allen, D Kleinberg, C Gamble, L Clampin (BDO), A Barnes (BDO) and D Lincoln (SEH)

Business

ItemBusiness
65The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for People presenting South Essex Homes' Annual Governance Statement and supporting reports.

On consideration of the report, the Finance Director (SEH) undertook to report back to the January meeting of the Committee on the progress made on the implementation of the improvement actions.
66The Committee considered a report of Chief Executive & Town Clerk presenting the Council's Local Code of Governance.

On consideration of the report, Members requested to be supplied with the results of the last residents' survey.
67The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the final report on the delivery of the Internal Audit Strategy for 2014/15.

Arising from discussion of the report, Members highlighted that a number of the actions in relation to the following reports remained outstanding and asked that the relevant officers attend the next meeting of the Committee to explain the position:

- Accounts Receivable, Social Care Debt
- Parking Management Schemes
- Southend Adult Community College

Members also requested to be provided with an update on the audit recommendations in relation to the payroll system.
68The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive & Town Clerk outlining the proposed changes to the Council's Risk Management Policy, Strategy and Toolkit.

On consideration of the report, Members asked that a risk management training session be arranged (before the next meeting of the Committee) which would take account of the specific observations on risk made at the meeting.
69The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the Counter Fraud & Investigation Directorate's final performance report for 2014/15 and the Corporate Counter Fraud & Investigation Strategy for 2015/16.
70The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services providing the following for the 2014/15 financial year:

• the rationale for and an audit opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's risk management, control and governance processes; and

• a statement on conformance with the UK Public Sector Internal Audit Standards and the results of the Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme.
71The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive & Town Clerk presenting the Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15 together with actions for 2015/16 and an update on progress made with the 2014/15 action plan.

In response to the observations made by the BDO External Auditor, officers undertook to consider the inclusion of a reference to the payroll system in the list of further actions to strengthen the Council's governance arrangements for 2015/16.
72The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive & Town Clerk presenting the 2015/16 Corporate Risk Register.
73The Committee considered a report by the Corporate Director for Corporate Services on the progress made in delivering the 2014/15 Annual Audit Plan.

On consideration of the audit recommendation in relation to the valuation of property of adult social care clients in care, officers undertook to consider increasing the frequency of the valuations as part of the debt management review.
74The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the External Audit Planning Letter for 2015/16.
75The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the recommendations of the BDO External Auditor that had arisen from the CCTV/parking objections.

 

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