Agenda and minutes

An apology of absence was received from Councillor P W Whittle, JP.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on 27 June 2013.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 27 June 2013 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The Chairman welcomed to the meeting Kate Handy and Catherine Morganti from Ernst and Young, and Adrian Tang and Andy Jefford from Deloittes.

To receive any declarations of interest from members in accordance with Standing Orders and the Council’s Code of Conduct.

There were no Declarations of Interest made at this meeting.

To receive any deputations of which notice has been lodged.

There were no deputations made at this meeting.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the External Audit Annual Governance Report. 

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the External Auditor’s Audit Issues Report.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Kate Handy presented the report, Appendix A, to the Committee and took questions from members.

The Director of Finance and Resources circulated Appendix B to the members at the meeting.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the contents of the Annual and Governance report, as set out in Appendix A of the report, and the Letter of Representation, as set out in Appendix B of the report.

To consider a report by the Director of Community on an Overview of Complaints against the Council.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Community which reviewed complaints to the Local Government Ombudsman and allegations of breaches of the Code of Conduct for Members for the year ending 31 March 2013.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the content of the report.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Statement of Accounts.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Statement of Accounts.

The Committee received a short presentation from the Finance Strategy and Development Manager on the Statement of Accounts, which gave an overview of each section of the report in order to make it easier for members to understand.

Members requested that the report be amended to clearly show the figures which relate to the use of revenue and reserves to fund capital expenditure that relates to the Housing Revenue Account.

RESOLVED that the Statement of Accounts for 2012/13, as set out in Appendix A of the report, subject to the amendment above, be approved and published by 30 September 2013.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Annual Governance Statement.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Annual Governance Statement.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Catherine Morganti from Ernst & Young addressed the Committee to inform them of an error in Appendix C of the report, page 117 under External Assurances, the wording Annual Audit Letter should read annual Audit Results Report.

Members requested that the last sentence on page 117 end with ‘by the auditors’.

RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13, as set out in Appendix C, of the report, subject to the amendments above, be approved.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Contractor Quarterly Audit Reports.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on the Contractor Quarterly Audit Reports, which provided information arising from the latest internal audit work to be finalised and gave an update on the completion of the remaining audits from the previous plan.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Andy Jefford from Deloittes, addressed the Committee to present the report.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the progress of the Contractor Internal Audit Plan, as set out in Appendix A of the report.

To consider a report the Director of Democratic and Regulatory Services on the Risk Management Progress Reports.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Regulatory and Democratic Services on the Corporate Risk Register.

Recognising the complexity and scale of the Collingwood House project, Members supported the inclusion of the project on the risk register and felt that this warranted regular review as there was potential for the risk score to increase. The Director of Finance and Resources advised the Committee that arrangements were in place to do this, and that the next full review is scheduled to be reported back to the Committee in March 2014.

RESOLVED that the Committee noted the content of version 2 of the Corporate Risk Register, as set out in Appendix A of the report.

To consider a report by the Director of Finance and Resources on a Review of the Work Programme and Training Plan.

The Committee considered a report by the Director of Finance and Resources which reviewed the Work Programme and Training Plan.

Members attention was draw to the revisions made to the work programme as set out in the report.

RESOLVED that the Work Programme, as set out in Appendix A of the report, be approved.