Agenda and minutes

Apologies were received from Councillor M Sewart.

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were made.

In accordance with paragraph 2.32 of the Committee Procedural Rules and Appendix 7 to the Rules a total period of 10 minutes is allocated for members of the public to address the Committee on any matter relevant to the work of the body in question.

Individual members of the public may speak for up to 5 minutes but the Chairman or person presiding will decide how the period of time allocated for public speaking will be apportioned where there are a number of speakers. Members of the public are not required to give notice to use this facility. However, as a matter of courtesy, a period of 24 hours’ notice is encouraged.

Members of the public wishing to ask a question at the meeting should provide at least three clear working days’ notice in writing and should include the question with that notice. This will enable an informed answer to be given.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2019 as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on 14 March 2019 be approved as a correct record.

For Members’ information the Committee’s terms of reference, as set out in the Constitution, are attached.

RESOLVED:

That the Terms of Reference of the Audit and Governance Committee be noted.

An receive an update on the External Audit work for 2018/19.

Alastair Newall of Mazars presented an update on the 2018/19 External Audit Plan.

It was reported that their detailed audit work was on track and that no significant matters had arisen which required reporting to the Committee.  The Audit Findings and Action Plan would be reported to the July Committee meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the Update on the 2018/19 External Audit Plan be received.

To consider and note a report on the Decision Notices issued by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) when their investigations have found maladministration causing injustice to complainants.

The  Committee considered a report on the Decision Notices issued by the Local Government Ombudsman between 1 December 2018 and 28 February 2019.

It was reported that three Decision Notices had been issued which concluded that there had been maladministration causing injustice – details of which were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

To receive a verbal update on the requirement to arrange a Hearing Sub Committee to consider a standards matter.

The Interim Director of Governance and Compliance reported on the need for a meeting of the Hearing Sub Committee. 

The investigation into the Code of Conduct complaint had now been completed.  Arrangements would be made shortly to convene the Hearing Sub Committee and select the three members to sit on the Sub Committee.

To consider the forthcoming Work Plan for 2019/20, to ensure comprehensive coverage of the Committee’s responsibilities.

Consideration was given to the Committee’s Work Plan for 2018/19.

It was noted that the Annual Monitoring Officer Report, Annual Information Governance Report , Annual Internal Audit Report and the Annual Risk Management Update would be brought to the July meeting of the Committee. These reports were key sources of assurance for the Annual Governance Statement.

RESOLVED: 

That the Work Plan be approved and that it be brought back to the Committee throughout the year for further development and approval.

To receive an update on the quantity and reasons for non-adherences approved between the  period 1 February 2019 to 30 April 2019.

The Committee considered a report on the number and reasons for Waivers and Non-Adherences (WARNs) which had been approved between 1 February 2019 and 30 April 2019.

It was noted that the number of WARNs had significantly reduced in the last three years form 73 in 2016/17 to 21 in 2018/19, which was the result of improved forward planning, better recording of information and proactively working with services to ensure compliant contracts were in place.

RESOLVED:

That the report be noted.

The reports relating to the remaining items on the agenda have been withheld from public circulation and deposit pursuant to Section 100(B)(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that the matters may be determined with the press and public excluded.

The Committee may decide that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following items pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

RESOLVED:

That the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item pursuant to Section 100(A)4 of the Local Government Act 1972 as amended on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 and the public interest would not be served in publishing the information.

To note the approved WARNs issued between 1 February 2019 and 30 April 2019.

RESOLVED:

That the WARNs be noted.