Corporate Governance, Audit and Standards Committee - Monday, 29th July, 2019 7.00 pm - Agenda and minutes

To confirm the Minutes of the Meeting held on 6th June, 2019 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 6th June, 2019 were approved and signed by the Chairman.

To consider the Executive Head of Finance Report No. FIN1923 (copy attached), which sets out the financial statements for 2018/19.

The Committee received the Executive Head of Finance’s Report No. FIN1923, which informed Members of the audit progress for the Council’s Statement of Accounts for 2018/19, the process for approving and publishing the Statement of Accounts and to draw to the Committee’s attention the fact that the deadline for issuing a final set of audit statements of accounts and audit opinion would not be met by 31st July, 2019.

The Committee was reminded that the Council was required under regulation to obtain an independent external audit opinion on the true and fair nature of the statement of accounts.  Following receipt of this external audit opinion, the Licencing, Audit and General Purposes Committee had delegated powers to approve the accounts and to publish the approved set of accounts and the audit opinion by 31st July, 2019.

The Committee was advised that the external audit opinion would not be available by 31st July, 2019, primarily due to an ongoing property valuation query related to the valuation of a significant asset, where a second independent valuation had been commissioned by the Council.  The Committee noted that the valuation of pension fund liabilities was also to be finalised.

The Committee noted that paragraph 10(2) of the Accounts and Audit Regulation 2015 outlined the process for publication and approval when an audit had not been concluded by 31st July, 2019, whereby the Council was required to publish as soon as practically possible the reason for not publishing an audited set of accounts by the above deadline.  The wording of this announcement in respect of the unaudited statement of accounts for 2018/19 would be agreed by the Council and external auditors in advance of its publication by 31st July, 2019.

The Committee was advised that the Council and external auditors would work together to achieve an audit opinion on a third and final set of accounts by the next Committee meeting on 23rd September, 2019.

The external auditors had provided an External Audit Progress Report and highlighted that risk management was an issue still to be properly addressed by the Council and that an “except for” value for money conclusion in relation to formal risk management would be given in respect of the Council’s arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources.

In discussion, Members raised a number of detailed queries, which would be answered outside of the Committee.

RESOLVED: That the Executive Head of Finance’s Report No. FIN1923 be noted. 

To consider the Audit Manager’s Report No. AUD1907 (copy attached), which provides an update on Quarter 1 and expected deliverables for Quarter 2 and Quarter 3.

The Committee received the Audit Manager’s Report No. AUD1907 which provided an overview of the work completed for quarter 1 and an update to the proposed work to be delivered for quarters 2 and 3.  The expected deliverables for quarters 2 and 3 were as follows:

·         Purchase of property follow up

·         Capital Programme Management

·         Estates Management and Commercial Letting

·         Community Safety Partnership

·         Financial borrowing

·         Building Control Partnership

·         Taxi licensing

·         Contaminated water and soil review

·         Procurement

·         Risk Management consultancy

·         Suitable Alternative Natural Green Space consultancy

·         Car park income reconciliation consultancy

·         Follow up on high risk recommendations from previous audits

·         Penalty Charge Notices

·         Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard

·         Treasury Management

·         Cash receipting

·         Council tax billing and collection

·         Ethical governance

·         Housing Allocation list

RESOLVED: That

(1)         the Audit Manager’s Report No. AUD1907 in respect of work carried out in quarter 1 and the expected deliverables for quarter 2 be noted; and

(2)         the expected deliverables for quarter 3 be endorsed.

To receive the Executive Head of Finance Report No. FIN1922 (copy attached), which sets out treasury management operations carried out during 2018/19.

The Committee received the Executive Head of Finance’s Report No. FIN1922, which gave details of the treasury management operations carried out during 2018/19, in accordance with the Annual Treasury Management Strategy and its compliance with treasury and prudential indicators, and with the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

RESOLVED: That the Executive Head of Finance’s Report No. FIN1922 be noted.