Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Committee Services 

Items
No. Item

12.

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 222 KB

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2022 are attached to be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on 24 May 2022 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

13.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

To receive any apologies for absence from Members*.

 

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they will be absent.

Minutes:

No apologies received.

14.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To declare disclosable pecuniary, and any other, interests*.

 

*Note: Members are asked to email Committee Services in advance of the meeting as soon as they become aware they may have an interest to declare.

Minutes:

No declarations made.

 

15.

CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

Minutes:

No announcements.

16.

LOCAL CODE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE 2022 pdf icon PDF 138 KB

To seek approve to a revised local code of corporate governance. 

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Audit Committee review and approve the local code of corporate governance attached at Appendix 1.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Officers presented a revised local code of corporate governance and explained more narrative that had been provided, the seven principals contained within, and the relevant policies and procedures the Council have in place.

DECISION

 

The Committee accepted the local code of corporate governance.

 

17.

DRAFT ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 138 KB

To seek approve to the draft annual governance statement 2021/22.  

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Audit Committee review and approve the draft annual governance statement 2021/22 attached at Appendix A.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Officers presented the draft annual governance statement 2021/22 and drew members attention to a number of Items contained within the report relating to controls, terms of reference and the summary of actions.  

DECISION

 

The Committee accepted the draft annual governance statement 2021/22.

 

18.

INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER pdf icon PDF 141 KB

To seek approve to a revised internal audit charter.

RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Audit Committee review and approve the internal audit charter attached at Appendix 1.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Officers sought approval to a revised internal audit charter.  The Council will have a fully outsourced audit function from April 2023.  

Members discussed

  • moving to one provider as opposed to two current providers
  • how the two current organisations are split, and work reviewed by internal audit manager
  • concern the internal audit manager would not be employed directly and if the appointment requires someone to be resident on site in the future
  • the specification could be discussed individually with any members as required
  • the standards required being national standards and evidence of achievement via an independent external audit every five years
  • the potential to take this to Overview & Scrutiny for the specification of the governance procedure, the KPI’s etc to examine the specification as business function
  • implications for current structure and staffing against employing a permanent member of staff
  • the concerns and benefits regarding the function being outsourced

DECISION

 

The Committee reviewed and approved the internal audit charter.

19.

INTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS REPORT Q1 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 229 KB

The Committee receive a report on the work undertaken by Internal Audit at each of their meetings. The last report was submitted to the Committee in respect of the period ending May 2022. This report covers the month of June 2022.  

RECOMMENDATION

That the Committee review and note the report.   

 

Minutes:

The Committee were presented with an updated report on the work undertaken by Internal Audit covering the month of June 2022, together with the position of the audits currently being undertaken.

Members discussed

·         The recommendations for Items 1-3.  Officers confirmed this would be available for the October committee

·         Cyber security guidance to service managers and system administrators  

·         The reliance on software suppliers to manage firewalls

·         The award of a government grant to address cyber security 

·         The auto deletion of emails after 12 months against the need to follow GDPR.  Officers confirmed retention periods are currently being reviewed

·         Need for clarity of any SLA in place with software providers and bought services.  It was agreed the Audit Manager would speak to the IT Manager regarding expertise Councillor Butcher could provide on this subject

 

DECISION

 

The Committee noted the report

 

20.

EXCLUSION TO THE PUBLIC

The following item(s) contain exempt information.

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

Members must decide whether the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

It is suggested that, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to, on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

 

Minutes:

The following item contained exempt information. 

 

DECISION 

 

Members decided that the public interest in maintaining an exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

 

In accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded during the discussion of the matters referred to, on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information, as defined in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, and the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

21.

SHAPLEY HEATH GARDEN COMMUNITY PROJECT REVIEW AUDIT

To receive the independent tiaa review of the Shapley Heath Garden Community Project and to agree the Management response contained therein.

RECOMMENDATION

 

To receive the report and make recommendations thereon.

 

Minutes:

Members had received the independent TIAA review of the Shapley Heath Garden Community Project and were asked to agree the Management response contained therein.

 

Members discussed

  

·         Governance elements not being carried out in a number of cases

·         Mitigating circumstances around Covid

·         Staff work not exclusively on Shapley Heath and comparing time spent against outcomes achieved  

·         The Opportunity Board not receiving updates as required  

·         The responsibility of Cabinet  

·         The need for safeguards and flag when processes not followed

·         Spend controls

·         Opportunities Board update requests  

·         Achievements  

·         The robustness of the report presented by TIAA  

·         The management response presented

 

DECISION

 

Cabinet be asked to provide a response to the management recommendations contained within the Shapley Heath Audit Review report, and to review the application of project governance, financial controls, and reporting for the Shapley Heath project and to provide a response to Audit Committee on lessons learnt.

 

Staffing Committee be asked, for the period from March 2021 to the closure of the Shapley Heath project, to review the exercise of officer management oversight over the Shapley Heath project, including a review of officers' application of financial controls, risk management, monitoring, and reporting. The findings to be shared with Audit Committee.