Agenda, decisions and minutes


Venue: Bodicote House, Bodicote, Banbury, OX15 4AA

Contact: Aaron Hetherington, Democratic and Elections  Email: aaron.hetherington@cherwellandsouthnorthants.gov.uk, 01295 227956

Items
No. Item

3.

Declarations of Interest

Members are asked to declare any interest and the nature of that interest which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting.

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

4.

Petitions and Requests to Address the Meeting

The Chairman to report on any requests to submit petitions or to address the meeting.

Minutes:

There were no petitions or requests to address the meeting.

5.

Urgent Business

The Chairman to advise whether they have agreed to any item of urgent business being admitted to the agenda.

 

Minutes:

There were no items of urgent business.

6.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 13 March 2019 and 14 May 2019.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meetings of the Committee held on 13 March 2019 and 14 May 2019 were agreed as correct records and signed by the Chairman.

7.

Chairman's Announcements

To receive communications from the Chairman.

Minutes:

The Chairman made the following announcements:

 

A Members workshop on the Cherwell Industrial Strategy would be held on Tuesday 11 June, in the Council Chamber. The workshop would run from 6pm to 9pm, buffet style refreshments would be available from 5:30pm. Invitations had been sent to all Members via email in the last few weeks.

 

There would also be a session on Universal Credit, with representatives attending from the DWP. The session was on Wednesday 17 July and further details would be sent out in due course.

8.

Internal Audit - Annual Report 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Report of the Executive Director, Finance (Interim)

 

Purpose of report

 

To receive CW Audit Services annual report for 2018/19 in relation to the Internal Audit work undertaken during 2018/19

 

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1       To note the contents of the 2018/19 annual report from CW Audit Services.

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)          That the 2018/19 annual report from CW Audit Services, the council’s internal auditor, be noted.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Director, Finance (Interim) which presented CW Audit Services Annual Report for 2018/19 in relation to the Internal Audit work undertaken during 2018/19.

 

Anand Persaud, CW Audit Services, the council’s internal auditor introduced the Annual Report and advised the Committee that internal audit opinion fed into the Annual Governance Statement, which Members would consider as a later agenda item. The Annual Report was very positive and the internal audit overall opinion was that significant assurance could be given.

 

In response to Members’ comments regarding areas that had been identified as still having work to be done and issues to be addressed, the Executive Director, Finance (Interim) explained that reviews were undertaken to address these areas and Lead Members were kept fully briefed. Additionally, the audit plan was linked to the strategic risk register.

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That the 2018/19 annual report from CW Audit Services, the council’s internal auditor, be noted.

 

9.

External Audit Update (Verbal)

Verbal update by Executive Director: Finance (Interim)

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)          That the verbal update on from Ernst Young, the council’s external auditor, be noted.

 

Minutes:

Neil Harris, Ernst Young, the council’s external auditor, gave a verbal update advising the Committee that all work was on track and the issues that had arisen with external audit the previous year had been addressed and he would ensure resource was available for the account sign off. There were no significant concerns and there was full cooperation with the Finance team.

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That the verbal update on from Ernst Young, the council’s external auditor, be noted.

 

10.

DRAFT Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 65 KB

** Please note this appendix to this report will follow as it is currently being reviewed and finalised**

 

Report of the Executive Director Finance (Interim)

 

Purpose of report

 

To receive a report is to ask members to consider and note the DRAFT Statement of Accounts 2018/19 and consider and endorse the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19.

 

Recommendations

            

The committee is recommended to:

 

1.1     Consider and note the DRAFT Statement of Accounts 2018/19

 

1.2     Consider and endorse the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)          That, having given due consideration, the DRAFT Statement of Accounts 2018/19.

 

(2)          That, having given due consideration, the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19 be endorsed.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Director Finance (Interim) submitted a report to ask members to consider and note the draft Statement of Accounts 2018/19 and to consider and endorse the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19.

 

The Executive Director Finance (Interim) commended the Finance Team for their hard work in producing the draft statement of accounts. Members were reminded Members that the accounts were in draft form and the should advise of any typos or areas for clarification that could be addressed for the final statement of accounts.

 

In introducing the report the Executive Director Finance (Interim) advised Members that the financial statement being considered by the Committee were different to the outturn management accounts which were considered by Budget Planning Committee and Executive.

 

The Executive Director Finance (Interim) gave an overview of the draft Statement of Accounts 2018/19 and the Annual Governance Statement advising that the overall conclusion was that it was a positive statement.

 

On behalf of the Committee, the Chairman thanked the Executive Director, Finance (Interim) and the Closedown Team for their hard work in delivering the statement of accounts on time for a second year in a row and noted the positive feedback from the External Auditor.

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That, having given due consideration, the DRAFT Statement of Accounts 2018/19.

 

(2)            That, having given due consideration, the Annual Governance Statement 2018/19 be endorsed.

 

11.

Report of Those Charged with Governance 18/19 pdf icon PDF 66 KB

Report of the Executive Director Finance

 

Purpose of report

 

To set out the response to Ernst & Young (EY) regarding the review of management assurance.

 

Recommendations

            

The committee is recommended to:

 

1.1         Approve the response relating to management assurances from those  Charged with Governance at Appendix 1

 

 

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

            

(1)            That the response relating to management assurances from those  Charged with Governance (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

 

Minutes:

The Executive Director Finance (Interim) submitted a report which set out the response to Ernst & Young (EY) regarding the review of management assurance.

 

In introducing the report, the Deputy Section 151 Officer confirmed that letter would be signed at the end of July at the time the statement of accounts were finalised.

 

Resolved

            

(1)            That the response relating to management assurances from those  Charged with Governance (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

 

12.

External Audit Fees 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Report of the Executive Director Finance (Interim)

 

Purpose of report

 

To note the indicative audit fee for 2019/20.

 

Recommendations

            

The meeting is recommended:

 

1.1       To note the contents of the letter setting out the indicative annual audit fees for 2019/20 from the Councils External Auditors, Ernst & Young (EY).

Additional documents:

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)            That the contents of the letter setting out the indicative annual audit fees for 2019/20 from the Councils External Auditors, Ernst & Young (EY) be noted.

Minutes:

The Executive Director Finance (Interim) submitted a report for Members to note the indicative external audit fee for 2019/20.

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That the contents of the letter setting out the indicative annual audit fees for 2019/20 from the Councils External Auditors, Ernst & Young (EY) be noted.

13.

Exclusion of Press and Public

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

 

7 – Information relating to any action taken or to be taken, in connection with the prevention, investigation or prosecution of crime

 

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 7 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.”

 

Minutes:

Resolved

 

That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) 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.

 

14.

Progress of Counter Fraud Service

Exempt report of the Senior Investigation Officer – Corporate Fraud Team

 

Decision:

Resolved

 

(1)            That the current performance of the Corporate Fraud team be noted.

 

(2)            That the future work plans and the impact that this would have on future performance and income to the authority be noted.

 

Minutes:

The Senior Investigation Officer – Corporate Fraud Team submitted an exempt report which provide an overview of the current progress of the Authority’s counter fraud response following the delegation of authority in July 2018 to Oxford City Council.

 

Resolved

 

(1)            That the current performance of the Corporate Fraud team be noted.

 

(2)            That the future work plans and the impact that this would have on future performance and income to the authority be noted.

 

15.

Deputy Section 151 Officer, Kelly Watson

Minutes:

The Chairman paid tribute to the Deputy Section 151 Officer, Kelly Watson, who would be leaving her role as Assistant Director: Finance, Property and Procurement and Section 151 Officer at South Northamptonshire Council and associated role as Deputy Section 151 Officer at Cherwell District Council at the end of June to take up a new post with a company in London.

 

On behalf of the Committee and the Council, the Chairman thanked Kelly for her hard work during her time at CDC during which she had overseen a tremendous improvement in the council’s financial management.

 

The Chairman wished Kelly all the best in her new role.