Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Geoff Durham  01782 742222

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES

2.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive Declarations of Interest from Members on items included in the agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest stated.

3.

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING pdf icon PDF 220 KB

To consider the minutes of the previous meeting(s).

Minutes:

Resolved:                 That the minutes of the meeting held on 17th July 2023 be agreed as a correct record.

4.

CORPORATE RISK MANAGEMENT REPORT pdf icon PDF 382 KB

Minutes:

The Business Improvement Manager presented the Corporate Risk Management Report.

 

Members asked questions and responses were provided as follows:

 

-       Cllr Brockie asked about the arson/fire risks at the Sky Building and how these could be mitigated. – Contact was currently sought with the owner of the building to ensure adjacent properties would be protected, would there be any issues. A security person was guarding the building.

 

-       Cllr Whieldon expressed concerns about the Council getting too involved in the mitigation of risks pertaining to the Sky building which could lead to responsibility in case something happened. – The Chair clarified that the Council was simply monitoring the situation.

 

The Chair requested that more information be provided on the risks relating to the Sky Building at the next meeting of the committee.

 

Resolved:     1. That there were currently 14 risks that were more than 6 months overdue for a review up to end of Q1 2023/24, be noted.

 

2. That there had been 5 risk level increases be noted.

 

3. That there had been no movement on the Corporate Risk Register be noted.

 

4. That officers be advised of any individual risk profiles that the Committee would like to scrutinise in more details at its next meeting.

 

5. That whilst the likelihood of a risk materialising may be mitigated, the likely impacts may not change, be noted.

 

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5.

INTERNAL AUDIT UPDATE Q1 2023/24 pdf icon PDF 388 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Internal Auditor presented the Internal Audit Update for 2023-24 Quarter 1 including the implementation of recommendations issues in June.

 

Resolved:     That the report be considered.

 

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6.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2022/23 - EXTERNAL AUDIT FINDINGS REPORT pdf icon PDF 370 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The External Auditor presented the Final Accounts and Audit Findings Report for the financial year 2022/23.

 

It was noted that the audit was not quite complete yet with outstanding information awaited with regard to the pension fund. The accounts were otherwise satisfying and there had been no adjustment required to the draft financial statement numbers. An unmodified audit opinion was to be expected.

 

The Deputy Leader wished to thank the Service Director for Finance (S151 Officer) and her team for their work resulting in a superb audit. The Chair supported the statement adding that other councils were for some of them two years behind which made the work of the team even more remarkable.

 

Resolved:     1. That the final accounts for the financial year 2022/23 be received and that delegated authority be given to the Service Director for Finance and the Chair of the Audit and Standards Committee to sign off the Statement of Accounts once the Staffordshire Pension Fund Audit has been completed.

 

2. That the audit findings report for the financial year 2022/23 be received.

 

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7.

WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 149 KB

Minutes:

The Chair informed members that there may be a need to move either the November or February meeting depending on when the value for money report would be received.

 

Resolved:     That the work programme be noted.

 

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8.

URGENT BUSINESS

To consider any business which is urgent within the meaning of Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972

Minutes:

There was no urgent business.