Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors P Seekings and M Thurgood.

The minutes of the meeting held on 25 October 2013 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Moved by Councillor M Gant and seconded by Councillor J Garner)

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (personal and/or personal and prejudicial) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

When Members are declaring a personal interest or personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they have dispensation, they should specify the nature of such interest.  Members should leave the room if they have a personal and prejudicial interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

There were no Declarations of Interest.

The Chair moved that the order of the agenda be changed to bring the reports of the Solicitor of the Council and Monitoring Officer to the beginning.

This was carried.

(Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer)

The Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer advising Members on the number of complaints received in relation to alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct since local arrangements were put in place to deal with Standards allegations in terms on the Localism Act 2011 in June 2012 was considered.

(Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer)

The Report of the Solicitor to the Council and Monitoring Officer was considered.

(Report of Grant Thornton (External Auditor))

The Report of the External Auditor was considered following the amendment of the housing and council tax benefit scheme fee 2011/12 from £26,496 to £26,353 on page 7 of the report and the subsequent amendment to the total fee 2011/12 from £35,041 to £34,898 on page 8.

(Report of Grant Thornton (External Auditor))

The Report of the External Auditor was considered

(Report of the Head of Internal Audit Services)

The Report of the Head of Internal Audit Services reporting on the outcome of Internal Audit’s review of the internal control, risk management and governance framework in the 3^rd quarter of 2012/13 and providing Members with assurance of the ongoing effective operation of the internal audit function and enabling any particularly significant issues to be brought to the Committee’s attention was considered.

(Report of the Head of Internal Audit Services)

The Report of the Head of Internal Services informing members of the new Public Sector Internal Audit Standards that will be effective from 1 April 2013 was considered.