Agenda, decisions and minutes

There were no declarations of interests.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

There was no urgent business.

** Please note the minutes will follow for administrative reasons **

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 September 2015 and the special meeting held on 9 October 2015.

That Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 23 September 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendment:

Item 21 Statement of Accounts 2014/15

Paragraph 4, 2012/13 to be changed to “2011/12.”

The minutes of the special meeting held on 9 October 2015 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

The Chairman made the following announcements:

 1.  The filming and broadcasting of the meeting was permitted, subject to the efficient running of the meeting not being affected.

2.  He had agreed to change the order of the agenda and would be moving agenda item 9 before agenda item 7.

3.    Update on Reclaim of NNDR

       Following the council’s initial approach to the Department for Communities and Local Government regarding the reclaim, the Council was now in dialogue with the department. These discussions are sensitive and are complicated by the status of the money that was overpaid, that is the scheme which was operating when the overpayment occurred was under a scheme repealed in 2013 and that the issue in question is a simple overpayment as opposed to a gain or loss of income or a retrospective adjustment. It was too early at this time to go into details on these discussions or give an indication of the likelihood of repayment as to do so could fetter the government’s position and ability to repay in full.

4.    Review by KPMG into Overpayment of NNDR

This is progressing and a draft document will be made available to Chief Executive and Deputy Monitoring Officer by the end of the week, subject to there being no major issues with the draft, an agenda will be published Monday 7 December 2015 for an extraordinary meeting of the Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee to be held at 6pm Tuesday 15 December 2015 to enable the Committee to consider the report.

Report of the Head of Finance and Procurement

Purpose of report

To allow Members to consider the Ernst and Young LLP Annual Audit Letter. This includes comments on the external audit of the 2014-15 Statement of Accounts.

Recommendations

The Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee is recommended to:

1.1       Consider the key issues raised in the Letter

Resolved

(1)          That the key issues raised in the letter be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Finance and Procurement which summarised the External Audit work for 2014-15.

Resolved

(1)          That the key issues raised in the letter be noted.

Report of the Head of Finance and Procurement

Purpose of report

To receive the PwC Internal Audit progress report 2015-16.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1       Consider and note the contents of the Progress Report.

Resolved

(1)          That the progress report be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Finance and Procurement which sought consideration of Internal Audit report which summarised their internal audit work to date.

The Deputy Monitoring Officer confirmed to the Committee that a training package would be available for Members following  the 2016 Elections, the package would include Risk Management training for all Members..

Resolved

(1)          That the progress report be noted.

Report of Head of Transformation

Purpose of report                                                                       

To update the Committee on the management of Strategic, Corporate and Partnership risks during the second quarter of 2015/16 and to report the progress made on the 2015/16 Risk & Opportunities Management Strategy review, Risk Training programme and 2015 Risk Audit.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

 1.1        review the quarter 2 Strategic, Corporate and Partnership Risk Register and identify any issues for further consideration or referral to Executive.

1.2       note that there has been a decrease in scores to one shared risk.

1.3       note the progress made on the 2015/16 Risk and Opportunities Management Strategy review, the Risk Training Programme and the 2015 Risk Audit.

Resolved

(1)          That the report be noted.

(2)       That the decrease in scores to one shared risk be noted.

(3)       That the progress made on the 205/16 Risk and Opportunities Management Strategy review, the Risk Training Programme and the 2015 Risk Audit be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Transformation on the management of Strategic, Corporate and Partnership Risks during the second quarter of 2014/15 and the progress made on the 2015/16 Risk & Opportunities Management Strategy review, Risk Training programme and 2015 Risk Audit.

Resolved

(1)          That the report be noted.

(2)       That the decrease in scores to one shared risk be noted.

(3)       That the progress made on the 205/16 Risk and Opportunities Management Strategy review, the Risk Training Programme and the 2015 Risk Audit be noted.

Report of the Head of Finance and Procurement

Purpose of report

To receive information on treasury management performance and compliance with treasury management policy for 2015/16 for Quarter 2 as required by the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the contents of the Quarter 2 (Q2) Treasury Report

Resolved

(1)          That the Quarter 2 Treasury report be noted.

The Committee considered a report of the Head of Finance and Procurement which set out treasury management performance and compliance with treasury management policy for 2015/16 for Quarter 2 as required by the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

In response to Member questions the Head of Finance and Procurement informed members that interest accrued on the remaining investment held within Iceland would remain in Iceland accruing higher interest than would be received, if paid back at this time.

Resolved

(1)          That the Quarter 2 Treasury report be noted.

To note the work programme 2015-16.

Resolved

(1)          That the work programme be noted.

The Committee considered its Work Programme 2015-16.

Resolved

(1)          That the work programme be noted.

The following item contains exempt information as defined in the following paragraph of Part 1, Schedule 12A of Local Government Act 1972.

3– Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information).

Members are reminded that whilst the following item has been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider it in private or in public. In making the decision, members should balance the interests of individuals or the Council itself in having access to the information. In considering their discretion members should also be mindful of the advice of Council Officers.

Should Members decide not to make a decision in public, they are recommended to resolve as follows:

“That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that, if the public and press were present, it would be likely that exempt information falling under the provisions of Schedule 12A, Part I, Paragraph 3 would be disclosed to them, and that in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.”

.

Resolved

 That, in accordance with Section 100A(4) of Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business, on the grounds that they could involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in paragraph 3 of Part 1, Schedule 12A of that Act .

Resolved

 (1)          That the exempt appendix be noted.