Agenda and minutes

To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests in respect of items on the agenda for this meeting.  

None

To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the South Audit and Corporate Governance Committee and the Vale Audit and Governance Committee held on 17 and 19 March 2015 (attached)

RESOLVED: to adopt as correct records the minutes of the South Audit and Corporate Governance Committee and the Vale Audit and Governance Committee meetings held on 17 and 19 March 2015 respectively and agree that the chairman signs them as such.  

Report of head of legal and democratic services (attached).

The committee considered the head of legal and democratic services’ report which set out the joint committee’s terms of reference. Both councils had agreed to establish audit and governance sub-committees to discuss and agree matters relating to a single council. However, this would be the exception rather than the rule with almost all business going to the joint committee.

RESOLVED: to

(a)  note the joint committee’s terms of reference, attached at Appendix A to the report.

(b)  appoint audit and governance sub-committees as set out in Appendix A to the report.

Report of the audit manager (attached).

The committee considered the audit manager’s annual report on internal audit activity during 2014/15. 

As a consequence of the Crowmarsh fire, internal audit had only achieved three out of its ten annual performance targets.  Nevertheless, the audit manager was satisfied that sufficient internal audit work had been undertaken to allow a reasonable conclusion to be drawn as to the adequacy and effectiveness of both council’s risk management, control and governance process and both councils were given satisfactory assurance.

RESOLVED: to note the internal audit annual report 2014/15.

Report of the audit manager (attached).

The committee considered the audit manager’s management report on internal audit for the first quarter of 2015/16.  The committee noted that there had been an auditor vacancy throughout the first quarter. An interim auditor had been appointed in June to assist with the back log of work and the vacancy had been filled with effect from 6 July.

RESOLVED: to note the internal audit management report for the first quarter of 2015/16. 

Report of the audit manager (attached).

The committee considered the audit manager’s report on internal audit activity during the first quarter of 2015/16.  This summarised the outcomes of recent audit activity.  Since the last committee meetings 14 audits had been completed, all rated as full or substantial assurance, together with six follow up reviews.  The outstanding recommendations report was reviewed and the committee was content with the report format.  It was agreed that the audit manager would send an update report to committee members in late August/early September.

RESOLVED: to note the internal audit activity report for the first quarter of 2015/16.

To consider the external auditor’s letters (attached). 

In the absence of a representative of Ernst and Young, both councils’ external auditor, it was agreed to defer consideration of this item to the next meeting.

To review the joint work programme (attached).

The committee reviewed its work programme which set out matters scheduled for consideration at future meetings.

The committee noted that the procedures for dealing with Councillor Code of Conduct complaints were due for review and agreed that this matter be added to the agenda for the January 2016 meeting.

RESOLVED: To move in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public, including the press, be excluded from the remainder of the meeting to prevent the disclosure to them of exempt information, as defined in Section 100(I) and Part 1 of Schedule 12A, as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006 when the following item is considered:

Internal audit activity report

(Category 3 - Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information.) 

Report of the audit manager (attached).

The committee considered and noted a report of the Audit Manager on an internal audit review.