Meeting documents

Audit Committee
Wednesday, 27th March, 2013 6.30 pm

Place:
Civic Suite, Civic Centre, Southend-on-Sea
 

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
890 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Betson (substitute: Cllr Godwin), D Garston (substitute: Cllr Walker) and Kelly (substitute: Cllr Evans)
891 Declarations of interest.
 The following declarations of interest were made:-

Councillor Collins - Summary Audit Progress Report (Agenda item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Heycroft Primary School

Councillor Collins - Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report (Agenda item 7) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Heycroft Primary School

Councillor Evans - Summary Audit Progress Report (Agenda item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Westleigh Junior School and St Michaels Church School

Councillor Evans - Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report (Agenda item 7) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Westleigh Junior School and St Michaels Church School

Councillor Godwin - Summary Audit Progress Report (Agenda item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Hamstel Infants School

Councillor Godwin - Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report (Agenda item 7) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Hamstel Infants School

Councillor Lamb - Summary Audit Progress Report (Agenda item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Westleigh Junior School

Councillor Lamb - Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report (Agenda item 7) - Non-pecuniary interest - Governor of Westleigh Junior School

Councillor Walker - Summary Audit Progress Report (Agenda item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Chairman of Trustees of Eastwood Memorial Hall.
892 Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 9th January, 2013
 Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 9th January 2013 be confirmed as a correct record and signed, subject to the deletion of "Members" and its replacement with "Member" in the second line of minute 658.
893 Data Protection Audit Report by ICO
Business for item 893
Resolved:-

1. That the report of the Information Commissioner's Office following an audit of how the Council processes personal data, be noted.

2. That the overall conclusion of "Reasonable Assurance" (with "High Assurance" in respect of requests for personal data) and the agreed Action Plan, be noted.
894 PKF: Progress Report to Those Charged with Governance

Business for item 894
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the Annual Audit Plans for 2011/12 and 2012/13, be accepted.
895 Summary Audit Progress Report
Business for item 895
Resolved:-

1. That the progress made in delivering the Internal Audit Strategy for 2012/13, be noted.

2. That the Audit Plan and Performance Targets for 2013/14, be approved.
896 Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report
Business for item 896
Resolved:-

1. That the Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, the Whistleblowing Policies and the Anti Money Laundering Policy and Strategy be endorsed and referred to Cabinet for adoption.

2. That the progress made in delivering the Council's Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, be noted.
897 Business Continuity and Agresso Updates
Business for item 897
Resolved:-

That the updates provided on Business Continuity and the Agresso programme, be noted.
898 Information Items
 The Committee noted the following documents:-

• CIPFA/SOLACE: Delivery Good Governance in Government:
• Briefing note for local authority political and administrative leaders
• Guidance Note for English Authorities 2012
• CIFAS/National Fraud Authority: Slipping Through the Net: Staff Vetting Guide for Local Authorities
• Public Sector Internal Audit Standards, Applying the Institute of Internal Auditor International Standards to the UK Public Sector
• CIPFA Better Governance Forum Audit Committee Update: Helping Audit Committees to be Effective: Issue 9:
• Reviewing Assurance Over Value for Money
• Regular Briefing on Current Issues
18:30/20:43

Attendance Details

Present:
Cllr P M Collins (Chairman), Cllr I T Robertson (Vice-Chairman), Cllr M F Evans*, Cllr B A Godwin*, Cllr J L Lamb, Cllr J McMahon, Cllr M W Terry, Cllr C W Walker*, Cllr R A Woodley, R Everitt (Co-opted Member)

*Substitutes in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 31

Also present: Councillors Assenheim and Courtenay
In attendance:
R Tinlin, J Chesterton, J Williams, L Everard, G Mortimer, C Gamble, A Barnes (PKF) and A Langridge (PKF)

Business

ItemBusiness
893The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director Support Services detailing the outcome of an audit carried out by the Information Commissioner's Office ("the ICO") of how the Council processes personal data pursuant to the Data Protection Act 1998 ("the DPA"). A report in the same terms had previously been submitted to Cabinet.

On consideration of the management response to the findings of the audit on records management, the Chairman requested officers to ensure, by the recommended implementation date, that the Terms of Reference of the overarching Information Management Strategy would include IAO, Caldicott Guardian and SIRO duties and that job descriptions for Heads of Service be revised to include these responsibilities (action C5). He also asked officers to report back to the next meeting of the Committee on the implementation of the identified measures regarding the destruction of documentation (action C41).
894The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director Support Services on the progress made in delivering the 2011/12 and 2012/13 Annual Audit Plans.
895Prior to consideration of this item, the Chairman referred to the recent death of Fergus Lamont, Castle Point Borough Council Officer, and on behalf of the Committee, offered his sincere condolences to the family and friends of Fergus at this sad time.

The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director Support Services updating Members on the progress made in delivering Internal Audit's Strategy for 2012/13 and set out the Audit Plan and Performance Targets for 2013/14.
896The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director Support Services updating Members on the delivery of the Council's Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy.

On discussion of the report, the Head of Internal Audit undertook to provide Members with a breakdown of the figure in respect of Housing and Council Tax Benefit and Department for Works and Pension Benefits.

In considering the Anti Fraud and Corruption Framework, Members noted the required action to identify a fraud risk assessment methodology that can be applied across the Council. The Chairman asked that Members be updated on this at the September meeting of the Committee.
897The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director Support Services providing an update on Business Continuity and the "Agresso Next Stage" Programme.

On consideration of the report, the Head of Finance and Resources undertook to provide Members with a copy of the Risk Register for phase 2 of the Agresso project.

 

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