Meeting documents

Audit Committee
Wednesday, 25th September, 2013 6.30 pm

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

Attendance Details

ItemDescriptionResolution
Part I
298 Apologies and substitutions.
 Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Woodley.
299 Declarations of interest.
 The following declarations of interest were made:-

(a) Councillor Betson - BDO Annual Governance Report 2012/13 (Item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of South Essex Homes Board and ALMO Task and Finish Group.

(b) Councillor D Garston - BDO - Annual Governance Report 2012/13 (Item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of ALMO Task and Finish Group.

(c) Councillor Lamb - BDO Annual Governance Report 2012/13 (Item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of ALMO Task and Finish Group.

(d) Councillor Ware-Lane - BDO Annual Governance Report 2012/13 - (Item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Daughter works for South Essex Homes Board.

(e) Councillor Walker - BDO Annual Governance Report 2012/13 (Item 6) - Non-pecuniary interest - Member of South Essex Homes Board and ALMO Task and Finish Group.
300 Dave Warriner
 The Director for Corporate Services referred to the recent death of Dave Warriner, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council officer. Members of the Committee offered their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dave at this sad time.
301 Minutes of the Meeting held on Wednesday, 19th June, 2013
 Resolved:-

That the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 19th June 2013 be confirmed as a correct record and signed.
302 Local Code of Governance: Annual Review
Business for item 302
Resolved:-

1. That the revised Local Code of Governance be referred to Cabinet for consideration.

2. That the Council's Constitution be updated with the revised Local Code of Governance.
303 BDO: Annual Governance Report 2012/13
Business for item 303
Resolved:-

That the external auditors Annual Governance Report 2012/13, be accepted.
304 Statutory Statement of Accounts 2012/13
Business for item 304
Resolved:-

That the Statement of Accounts 2012/13 be adopted and approved for publication.
305 BDO: Progress Report to those charged with Governance
Business for item 305
Resolved:-

That the progress made in delivering the Annual Audit Plan for 2012/13, be accepted.
306 Summary Audit Progress and Counter Fraud Update Report
Business for item 306
Resolved:-

1. That the progress made in delivering the Internal Audit Strategy for 2013/14 and the Council's Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy, be noted.

2. That the Internal Audit Charter, be approved.
307 Information Items
Business for item 307
 
18:30/20:05

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 J L Lamb, Cllr C W Walker, Cllr J G S Ware-Lane, R Everitt (Co-opted Member)
In attendance:
S Holland, J Chesterton, L Everard, E Allen, I Ambrose, T MacGregor, C Gamble, A Barnes (BDO), D Eagles (BDO), A Langridge (BDO) and J Beauchamp (BDO)

Business

ItemBusiness
302The Committee considered a report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk on the revised Local Code of Governance.

On consideration of the report, Members requested that the proposed paragraph in relation to the Good Governance Group on page 8 of the Code should include reference to the Chief Executive.
303The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services summarising the results of the work completed to date for the 2012/13 financial year with regard to:

- the opinion on the Statement of Accounts.

- the conclusion on the adequacy of the Council's arrangements for securing economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources (the VFM conclusion).

In referring to Appendix 2 of the submitted report, A Barnes (BDO) updated the Committee in respect of the uncorrected misstatements and advised that there were two additional errors which had been identified since the dispatch of the report. The first related to the residual value of the bathrooms and kitchens removed from the Council's housing stock, which had not been taken out of the fixed asset register and therefore the accounts. The other error concerned two properties that did not meet the criteria for investment properties and should have been classified as Property, Plant and Equipment on the balance sheet. Members agreed that none of these errors have an impact on the resources or funding available to the Council.
304The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services on the Statement of Accounts 2012/13.

On consideration of the report, the Head of Finance and Resources undertook to respond to the request for information on the capital commitments relating to Prittlewell Prince Museum and St. Mary's School.
305The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services outlining the progress made in delivering the 2012/13 Annual Audit Plan.
306The Committee received a report of the Corporate Director for Corporate Services on the progress made in delivering:

- The Internal Audit Strategy for 2013/14.

- The Council's Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy.

On consideration of the report, the Head of Internal Audit undertook to advise Members of the position on the data matches under the National Fraud Initiative in relation to housing benefit claimants.
307The Committee noted the contents of the 11th issue of the Audit Committee update produced by CIPFA.

 

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