Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Cllr Mrs Peers and Cllr J Taylor.

To receive declarations of interest from Members on items included in the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting held on 15 July 2013.

Resolved:     That the minutes of the meeting held on 15^th July 2013 be agreed as a correct record.

A report was submitted to provide an update to Members of the progress made by the Council in enhancing and embedding risk management for the period April to June 2013, including progress made in managing the identified corporate risks.

Resolved:     (a)       That the Committee scrutinise the progress that had been made in managing the risks identified within the Strategic, Operational, Project and Partnership Risk Registers where applicable.

(b)       That the Committee notes the new risks that have been identified between April to June 2013.

(c)      That the Committee Identify, as appropriate, risk profiles to be scrutinised in more detail as part of its responsibility at the next meeting.

A report was submitted to report on the work undertaken by the Internal Audit section during the period 1st April to 30th June 2013. This report identified the key issues raised.  The full individual reports issued to Officers contained the key issues plus a variety of minor issues and recommendations.

Resolved:     There were no issues identified that Members wished to raise with Cabinet and, or Executive Directors.

A report was submitted to report on any outstanding high risk recommendations and where necessary to request Members’ approval to the Executive Directors requested actions in respect of the recommendations and proposed target dates

The report also sought to provide Members with an assurance opinion on internal controls over Council Services.

Members noted the high level of recommendations for the resources and Support Services Directorate. It was stated that this was not an indication of overall poor performance and officers agreed to add an explanation regarding this in subsequent reports.

Resolved: That the actions of officers and levels of assurance be noted

To approve the statement of accounts, receive the Grant Thornton’s Governance Report for 2012/13 and to agree the Letter of Representation to the Auditor.

It was a statutory requirement, contained in the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2011, that the Council produced a Statement of Accounts detailing its financial transactions for the year and its position at the year end and that this was approved by a Committee no later than 30 September in the year following that to which the Statement relates.

The External Auditor was required, according to the International Standard on Auditing 260 (ISA 260), to report to the Committee on matters affecting governance via a governance report.

The Letter of Representation was a formal letter from the Council to the External Auditor stating various matters which the auditor needed to have confirmed in order to gain sufficient assurance to be able to certify the Council’s accounts.

The Chair thanked the Audit and Finance Teams for their hard work in the preparation of the accounts.

The Executive Director for resources and Support Services stated that it was the last Audit and Risk Committee Meeting for the external auditor David Jenkins who had been working with the Council since 2005. David had been a great asset to the Council and had a very professional relationship with officers. The Committee and Officers wished David all the best.  The Chair echoed these sentiments and thanked David for his hard work, especially his ability to present complicated reports in a way that all members could understand.

Resolved:     a)         That the Statement of Accounts 2012/13 be approved and signed by the Chair.

b)         That the Annual Governance Report for 2012/13 be received.

c)         That the Letter of Representation be approved for signature by the Council’s Section 151 Officer.