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Agenda and minutes

Audit and Governance Committee - Thursday, 9th February, 2023 6.00 pm

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

Contact: Democratic Services  01827 709264

Media

Items
No. Item

53.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

There were no apologies for absence.

54.

Appointment of Vice-Chair

Minutes:

RESOLVED that Councillor A Cooper was elected as Vice Chair

 

(Moved by Councillor P Turner and seconded by Councillor A Cooper)

 

A motion to nominate Councillor R Kingstone as Vice-Chair was moved and seconded but not carried.

55.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting pdf icon PDF 97 KB

Minutes:

The minutes of the meeting held on 15th November 2022 were approved and signed as a correct record.

 

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

 

56.

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.

57.

Risk Management Quarterly Update Qt3 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 76 KB

(Report of the Assistant Director, Finance)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Assistant Director Finance to report on the Risk Management process and progress for Quarter 3 of the 2022/23 financial year.

 

Councillor S Daniels joined the meeting at 6.12pm.

 

The Committee sought clarification on the language used to describe the potential risk causes for the Finance / Financial Stability metric and the Executive Director, Finance agreed to review the language used to remove any ambiguity. 

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee endorsed the Corporate Risk Register, subject to a review of the target score for the Finance / Financial Viability metric, given the current risk score

 

 

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

 

 

58.

FHSF Quarterly Update pdf icon PDF 64 KB

(Report of the Assistant Director, Growth & Regeneration)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Assistant Director - Growth & Regeneration to update the Committee on Future High Street Funds risks.

 

RESOLVED:

That consideration of the report be deferred to a later meeting and that the item be considered following the exclusion of the press and public.

 

 

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

 

59.

Quarterly Internal Audit Progress Report - Quarter 3 pdf icon PDF 96 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 31 December 2022.  The Audit Manager provided an update at the meeting on the progress made since December 2022 on the high priority recommendations, whereby three recommendations had been reported as completed.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee

 

 

noted Internal Audit’s Quarterly Report (Appendix 1), which includes results up to 31 December 2022.

 

requested that the priority of any restated actions be reviewed.

 

 

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

 

60.

Audit Committee Effectiveness pdf icon PDF 88 KB

(Report of the Audit Manager)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Audit Manager to undertake the annual self-assessment of Audit & Governance Committee effectiveness and provide an update in relation to the appointment of independent member/s to the Committee.

 

Councillor D Cook left the meeting at 6.41pm.

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee

 

1.

considered the attached self-assessment checklist (Appendix 3) and endorsed any actions to improve its effectiveness as appropriate, noting that new members of the Committee complete a skills audit on appointment.

 

2.

considered and ratified the approach to be taken in respect of appointing an Independent Member to the Committee.

 

 

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

 

 

61.

Code of Conduct Review pdf icon PDF 78 KB

(Report of the Monitoring Officer)

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Report of the Monitoring Officer to update members on new Local Government Association Model (LGA) Code of Conduct in response to the recommendations made by the Office for Standards in Public Life so the Committee can consider whether to adopt it in full or in part, or to retain the Council’s current Code of Conduct for Councillors (“Code of Conduct”).

 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee

 

1.

endorsed the new LGA model code of conduct.

 

2.

agreed that the Council’s current Code of Conduct and Procedure for dealing with Code of Conduct complaints be reviewed by the Monitoring Officer with any necessary legal advice (where required). This could incorporate specific elements of the LGA Model Code.

 

3.

Agreed to a member workshop to capture members views prior to the final draft being presented to A&G.

 

 

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

 

62.

Audit and Governance Committee Timetable pdf icon PDF 177 KB

(Discussion Item)

Minutes:

The Committee reviewed the timetable and agreed that ensure that the items for March and April were spread across both meetings as equally as possible.