Agenda, decisions and minutes

Members made the following general declarations of interest:

Councillor Ian Corkin, declaration, as a board member of Graven Hill Village Development Company.

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

There were no items of urgent business.

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 September 2016.

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 21 September 2016 were agreed as correct records and signed by the Chairman.

To receive communications from the Chairman.

There were no Chairman’s announcements.

Report of Chief Finance Officer

Purpose of report

To receive PwC’s verbal progress report summarising their internal audit work to date.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1          To note the internal audit progress 2016/17 verbal update.

Resolved

(1)       That internal audit progress 2016/17 verbal update be noted.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report which presented to receive PwC’s verbal progress report summarising their internal audit work to date.

Resolved

(1)       That internal audit progress 2016/17 verbal update be noted.

Report of Chief Finance Officer

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 2015/16 Statement of Accounts.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

1.1         consider the key issues raised in the Letter

Resolved

(1)       That, having given due consideration, the key issues in the External Audit: Annual Audit Letter 2015/2016 be noted

The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report to allow Members to consider the Ernst and Young LLP Annual Audit Letter. The report included comments on the external audit of the 2015/16 Statement of Accounts.

Resolved

(1)       That, having given due consideration, the key issues in the External Audit: Annual Audit Letter 2015/2016 be noted.

Report of Chief Finance Officer

Purpose of report

To provide members of Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee with an update on the joint Corporate Fraud team including a progress report for quarter two of 2016-2017 and to present members with the updated Joint Sanctions and Prosecutions Policy.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.1       To note the contents of the report

1.2       To consider and endorse the updated Joint Sanctions and Prosecutions Policy

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)       That, having given due consideration, the updated Joint Sanctions and Prosecutions Policy be endorsed.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report which provided members of Accounts, Audit and Risk Committee with an update on the joint Corporate Fraud team including a progress report for quarter two of 2016-2017 and to present members with the updated Joint Sanctions and Prosecutions Policy.

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the report be noted.

(2)       That, having given due consideration, the updated Joint Sanctions and Prosecutions Policy be endorsed.

Report of Director - Strategy and Commissioning

Purpose of report  

To update the Committee on the management of Strategic, Corporate and Partnership risks during the second quarter of 2016/17.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:    

1.1       To review the full Strategic, Corporate and Partnership Risk Register for 2016/17 and identify any issues for further consideration or referral to Executive.

1.2       To note the risk exceptions highlighted and proposed actions.

Resolved

(1)       That, having given due consideration, the Full Strategic, Corporate and Partnership Risk Register for 2016/17 was reviewed.

(2)       That the risk exceptions highlighted and proposed actions be noted.

The Director of Strategy and Commissioning submitted a report to update the Committee on the management of Strategic, Corporate and Partnership risks during the second quarter of 2016/17.

Resolved

(1)       That, having given due consideration, the Full Strategic, Corporate and Partnership Risk Register for 2016/17 was reviewed.

(2)       That the risk exceptions highlighted and proposed actions be noted.

Report of Chief Finance Officer

Purpose of report

To receive information on treasury management performance and compliance with treasury management policy for 2016/17 as required by the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1        To note the contents of the second quarter (Q2) Treasury Management Report.

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the second quarter (Q2) Treasury Management Report be noted.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted a report to provide members information on the treasury management performance and compliance with treasury management policy for 2016/17 as required by the Treasury Management Code of Practice.

Resolved

(1)       That the contents of the second quarter (Q2) Treasury Management Report be noted.

To consider and review the Work Programme.

Resolved

(1)       That the work programme be noted.

The Committee considered its work programme for 2016/17.

Resolved

(1)       That the work programme be noted.

The following reports contain 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(s) have been marked as exempt, it is for the meeting to decide whether or not to consider each of them 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 items 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 under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items 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 the 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

(1)       That the exempt appendix be noted.

Resolved

(1)       That the exempt appendix be noted.

Exempt report of Chief Finance Officer

Resolved

(1)             That the report be noted.

(2)             That John Cornett, KPMG, who presented the KPMG report into the overpayment of NNDR to the Government in December 2015, be invited to attend the January 2016 meeting of the Committee to review progress against the Finance Improvement Plan.

(3)             That, subject to the agreement of KPMG, it be noted that the Chief Finance Officer would submit a report to the March meeting of the Committee regarding the on-going implementation of the Finance Improvement Plan.

The Chief Finance Officer submitted an exempt report to present the Finance Improvement Plan, which is an outcome of the KPMG Review of NNDR Overpayment report adopted by this Committee on 20 January 2016.

Resolved

(1)             That the report be noted.

(2)             That John Cornett, KPMG, who presented the KPMG report into the overpayment of NNDR to the Government in December 2015, be invited to attend the January 2016 meeting of the Committee to review progress against the Finance Improvement Plan.

(3)             That, subject to the agreement of KPMG, it be noted that the Chief Finance Officer would submit a report to the March meeting of the Committee regarding the on-going implementation of the Finance Improvement Plan.