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Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Market Street, Tamworth. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Media

Items
No. Item

19.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Turner and S Daniels

 

The meeting was chaired by Vice Chair Councillor R Ford

20.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 117 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 8th June 2022 were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

(Moved by Councillor A Cooper and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

21.

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of Members’ interests (pecuniary and non-pecuniary) in any matters which are to be considered at this meeting.

 

When Members are declaring a pecuniary or non-pecuniary 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 pecuniary or non-pecuniary interest in respect of which they do not have a dispensation. 

 

 

Minutes:

There were no declarations of Interest.

22.

Update from External Auditors

Minutes:

Committee received an update.  Work is continuing and is on track. 

 

The Committee thanked the Auditors for the update.

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor P Thurgood) 

23.

Risk Management Quarterly Update pdf icon PDF 72 KB

(Report of the Assistant Director, Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Assistant Director Finance on the Risk Management process and progress for Quarter 1 of the 2022/23 financial year

 

The Committee commented on and sought clarifications in the following areas:

 

Could climate change and the immediate impact of extreme weather events be highlighted as a risk in the Health & Safety part of the risk register? 

 

Councillors highlighted that at the moment there is not a shortage of HGV drivers but there is a potential to be so in the future. 

 

Corporate vision no corporate objectives included.  Community Focus, what actions are being put in place to improve this objective?  Officers confirmed that the priorities are included and in the next Quarter these will be aligned next to the risks and will be included in the next Quarterly report.   

 

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee

 

 

endorsed the Corporate Risk Register

 

 

(Moved by Councillor D Cook and seconded by Councillor A Cooper)

 

24.

Quarterly Internal Audit Progress Report - Q1 pdf icon PDF 93 KB

(Report of the Audit Manager)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Audit Manager to provide the Audit & Governance Committee with internal audit’s progress report for period to 30 June 2022.

 

The Chair thanked Andrew Wood for the work on the report.

 

The Committee commented on and sought clarifications in the following areas:

 

Are any of the findings repeat findings?  There were no repeat findings that were identified from previous reviews.  However, some areas are reviewed on a regular basis i.e. Payment Card Industry Standards are reviewed when any changes take place.  Also checked any outstanding recommendations.  Any repeat findings will be included on the report.  The Audit Manager also confirmed that future Quarterly Progress reports would show graphical rather than tabular information relating to outstanding audit recommendations.    

 

Progress during Q1 2022/3 is detailed in this report the performance against target is low currently 6% completion of the audit plan, what does this mean are the targets correct.   It was clarified that at the end of Q 1 2021/22 it was at a similar percentage and by the end of 31st March 2022, 80% of the Audit plan had been achieved.  Part of the issue is resource and Q1 is a relatively low completion period as it includes the planned work that rolled forward from 2021/22.  Looking at the raw figures the completion of one audit is approx. 6% of the audit plan so once more audits are completed the percentage goes up significantly. 

Plan will be kept under review to make sure targets are being completed.  There are discussions ongoing regarding the timings of audits.  The Audit Manager agreed to provide information relating to the completion of the profiled audit plan in future Quarterly Progress reports.

Assets and inventory (pg. 40) no ref to asset management plans are these in place as does each asset have its own plan and were they part of the audit?

Asset management plan was reviewed in 2021 and work is ongoing to get a plan for each Asset. 

 

The report was noted by the Committee. 

25.

Independent Member Update pdf icon PDF 124 KB

(Report of the Audit Manager)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Audit Manager to provide an update to Committee in relation to the potential appointment of an Independent Member(s) to Committee.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee

 

considered and agreed the approach to be taken in respect of appointing an Independent Member to the Committee following resolution of questions raised by Committee; and

 

recommend that the Council seek one independent member, and this is reviewed at the end of the three-year period

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Ford and seconded by Councillor D Cook)

 

 

26.

Audit and Governance Committee Timetable pdf icon PDF 144 KB

(Discussion Item)

Minutes:

The Committee reviewed the timetable and no changes were made. 

27.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider excluding the Press and Public from the meeting by passing the following resolution:-

 

“That in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meeting and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012, and Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act and the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public  interest in disclosing the information to the public”

 

At the time this agenda is published no representations have been received that this part of the meeting should be open to the public.

Minutes:

RESOLVED:

That Members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item on the grounds that the business involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

 

 

 

 

(Moved by Councillor R Ford  and seconded by Councillor A Cooper)

 

28.

Minutes of any Sub-Committee meeting

(To receive the minutes of any sub-committee meeting and where relevant approve any recommendations contained therein)

Minutes:

The Committee received the minutes of the 28th June 2022 Audit & Governance Sub-Committee meeting.