Meeting documents

Audit Committee
Wednesday, 19th June, 2013 6.30 pm

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

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
92 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Lamb.
93 Declarations of interest.
 The following declarations of interest were made:-

(a) Councillor Betson - South Essex Homes - Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 (Agenda Item 4) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of South Essex Homes Board and ALMO Task and Finish Group.

(b) Councillor D Garston -- South Essex Homes - Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 (Agenda Item 4) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of ALMO Task and Finish Group.

(c) Councillor Ware-Lane - South Essex Homes - Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 (Agenda Item 4) - Non-pecuniary interest - Daughter works for South Essex Homes Board.

(d) Councillor Walker - South Essex Homes - Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 (Agenda Item 4) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of South Essex Homes Board.
94 Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 27th March, 2013
 Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday, 27th March 2013 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.
95 Actions from last meeting
 (a) Minute 893 - Data Protection Audit Report by ICO

In response to the request made at the last meeting in relation to action C41 in the Action Plan attached to the ICO report, the Corporate Director for Corporate Services advised that the Council had a robust Document Retention and Disposal Policy. Monitoring arrangements were in place through the review by senior managers of the monthly reports produced on the archiving and destruction of documentation. A copy of the above policy would be circulated to all members of the Committee.

(b) Minute 897 - Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, Update Report

The Head of Finance and Resources confirmed that members of the Committee had been provided with a copy of the Risk Register for the Agresso project in accordance with the request made at the last meeting.
96 South Essex Homes - Head of Internal Audit Annual Report and Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13
Business for item 96
Resolved:-

That the assurance provided by South Essex Homes regarding the operation of its governance arrangements throughout 2012/13, be accepted.
97 BDO: Progress Report to Those Charged with Governance
Business for item 97
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the Annual Audit Plan for 2012/13, be accepted.
98 Summary Audit Progress Report
Business for item 98
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the Internal Audit Strategy for 2012/13, be noted.
99 Head of Internal Audit Annual Report 2012/13
Business for item 99
Resolved:-

That the Head of Internal Audit's Annual Report for 2012/13, be accepted.
100 Annual Governance Statement 2012/13
Business for item 100
Resolved:-

That the Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 be approved, subject to any further views expressed by External Audit and that it be recommended to the Leader of the Council and Chief Executive for authorisation and signature.
101 2013-14 Corporate Risk Register
Business for item 101
Resolved:-

That the 2013/14 Corporate Risk Register be approved, subject to the inclusion of the amendment to the list of controls (control 7) in relation to the health reforms as reported at the meeting.
102 Corporate Counter Fraud Plan
Business for item 102
Resolved:-

That subject to the inclusion of a section on business rate fraud, the Corporate Counter Fraud Plan be approved.
103 BDO: BDO Planning Letter 2013/14
Business for item 103
Resolved:-

That the Planning Letter for 2013/14, be approved.
104 Information Items
 The Committee noted the CIPFA publication entitled "Audit Committee Update - helping Audit Committees to be effective."

It was noted that the Chairman will be reviewing this Update with the Head of Internal Audit, to ensure that best standards were adopted by the Audit Committee and will be reporting back to the Committee during 2013.
18:30/20:50

Attendance Details

Present:
Cllr P M Collins (Chairman), Cllr I T Robertson (Vice-Chairman), Cllr M A Betson, Cllr D A Garston, Cllr R E Hadley, Cllr C W Walker, Cllr J G S Ware-Lane, Cllr R A Woodley, R Everitt (Co-opted Member)
In attendance:
S Holland, J Chesterton, L Everard, E Allen, T MacGregor, C Gamble, A Barnes (BDO), D Eagles (BDO), A Langridge (BDO) and D Lincoln (South Essex Homes)

Business

ItemBusiness
96The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting South Essex Homes' key end of year governance reports.
97The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services providing an update on the progress made in delivering the 2012/13 Annual Audit Plan.
98The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services updating Members on the progress made in delivering Internal Audit's strategy for 2012/13.
99The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services providing the rationale for and an audit opinion on the adequacy and effectiveness of the Council's system of internal control during 2012/13.

On consideration of the report, referring to paragraph 4.23, the Head of Internal Audit undertook to prepare an update report for submission to the next meeting of the Committee on social care debt recovery.

In referring to paragraph 4.12 of the report the Head of Internal Audit also undertook to bring a report to the Committee on the updated Good Practice Guide on Governance Arrangements.
100The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13 together with an action plan for 2013/14 and an update on progress made with the 2012/13 Action Plan. Members were informed of the suggested amendments to the Annual Governance Statement which had previously been submitted by the Chairman.
101The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk which sought agreement to the 2013/14 Corporate Risk Register.
102The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the Corporate Counter Fraud Plan, which was before Members for endorsement.

On discussion of the report, Members considered that the Corporate Counter Fraud Plan should include a section on business rate fraud.
103The Committee considered a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services presenting the External Audit Planning Letter for 2013/14.

 

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