Agenda and minutes

There were no declarations of interest made in accordance with the Code of Conduct.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of Audit Committee held on 1 October 2018

RESOLVED:  That the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 1 October 2018 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

The report asks Members to review the Risk Management Strategy and accompanying Risk Management Guidance and to recommend to Cabinet its adoption by full Council.  The report also provides an update on the risk management process and the Strategic Risk Register.

The report of the Management Team invited Members to review the Risk Management Strategy and accompanying Risk Management Guidance which set out the Council’s risk management objectives and detailed the roles and responsibilities of officers, Members and partners in the identification, evaluation and cost-effective control of risks. 

RECOMMENDED:  That the Risk Management Strategy and accompanying Risk Management Guidance be commended to Cabinet for adoption by Council. 

The report provides details of investments undertaken and return achieved in the first nine months of the current financial year and an introduction to the 2019/20 Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategy.  Members are invited to recommend adoption of the Strategy to Cabinet.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation provided details of investments undertaken and return achieved in the first nine months of the current financial year and introduced the 2019/20 Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategy.  

RECOMMENDED:  That the following be commended to the Council

(1)          the treasury management position as at 31 December 2018 and the higher level of income incorporated in the 2018/19 revised estimates be noted; and

(2)          the Treasury Management and Annual Investment Strategy for 2019/20, as set out at Annex 4 to the report, be adopted.

The report informs Members of the outcome of the annual review of the Council’s Anti-Fraud Policies and Whistleblowing Policy.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation set out details of the outcome of the annual review of the Anti-Fraud, Bribery and Corruption Policy, the Housing Benefit Anti-Fraud Policy, the Council Tax Reduction, Discounts and Exemptions Anti-Fraud Policy and the Whistleblowing Policy. 

RESOLVED:  That

(1)          the Anti-Fraud Policies, as set out at Annexes 1, 2 and 3 to the report, be approved; and

(2)          the General Purposes Committee be invited to approve the Whistleblowing Policy as set out at Annex 4 to the report.

The report provides information on the outcome of the review of the Internal Audit Charter.

The report of the Chief Audit Executive provided details of the outcome of the review of the Internal Audit Charter.

RESOLVED:  That the Internal Audit Charter, set out at Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

The report provides information on the outcome of the annual review of the Council’s Anti-Money Laundering Policy and supporting guidance notes.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation set out details of the annual review of the Council’s Anti-Money Laundering Policy and associated guidance notes.  Members noted that, following approval, the policy would be circulated to all staff with computer access via Netconsent and would be available on the Council’s internal and external websites. 

RESOLVED:  That the Anti-Money Laundering Policy and supporting guidance notes, as set out at Annexes 1 and 2 to the report, be approved.

The report presents the Accounting Policies proposed for the 2018/19 Financial Statements for consideration and endorsement.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation set out details of the proposed Accounting Policies to be used in the preparation of the 2018/19 Financial Statements. 

RESOLVED:  That the Accounting Policies to be used in the preparation of the 2018/19 Financial Statements, as set out at Annex 1 to the report, be approved.

The report gives details of the proposed scale of audit fees for 2019/20.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation set out details of the proposed scale of audit fees for the work to be undertaken by appointed auditors in respect of the 2019/20 financial statements.  It was noted that the scale was the same as that set for 2018/19. 

RESOLVED:  That the proposed scale of audit fees for 2019/20 be noted.

The report provides an update on the work of both the Internal Audit function and the Counter Fraud function for the period April to December 2018.

The report of the Chief Audit Executive provided an update on the work undertaken by the Internal Audit and the Counter Fraud functions for the period April to December 2018.

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and noted.

The report summarises the outcomes for 2017/18 from certification work carried out by the external auditor, Grant Thornton.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation summarised the outcomes of certification work undertaken by the Council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, for 2017/18.  It was noted that no amendments were required to the subsidy claim after the audit and Members congratulated the team for their performance record.

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and noted.

The report introduces two papers from the external auditor: the 2018/19 Audit Plan and Audit Progress Report and Sector Update.

The report of the Director of Finance and Transformation introduced two papers from the external auditors, the 2018/19 Audit Plan and Audit Progress Report and Sector Update.  The Committee had earlier welcomed to the meeting Mr Paul Dossett, a Partner at Grant Thornton, together with Andy Ayre (Audit Manager), who presented the reports.

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and noted.

The Chairman to move that the press and public be excluded from the remainder of the meeting during consideration of any items the publication of which would disclose exempt information.

There were no items considered in private.