Audit and Governance Committee - Wednesday 31 July 2024, 6:00pm - Folkestone & Hythe webcasting

Audit and Governance Committee
Wednesday, 31st July 2024 at 6:00pm 

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Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:00
Cllr John Wing - 0:00:00
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:01
to address Councillor picture

2 Declarations of Interest

Cllr James Butcher - 0:00:04
Helen thank for me, thanks for the opportunity to say Lockwood, I
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:08
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:00:08
think you know what's coming, I don't know if I just do, it doesn't
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:10
Joseph Locke opportunities yeah, OK.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:17
two minutes from last time item number 3, any comments or questions on the minutes.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:26
good to go to Item 4.
sorry.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:48
a seconder.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:00:55
and are we all happy to agree that?
great synonymous, thank you.

4 2023/24 External Audit Plan

item number 4 and the external audit plan that's for 23 24 pages 11 to 44 of the agenda pack.
so can I ask all lead to do that, just can I just put on record, obviously we're looking at the year ahead but obviously seems strange, we've still got 22 23 outstanding.
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:01:27
thank you, sir, do reporting for a few minutes to present the Grant Thornton Audit Plan for 23 24.
and the report itself focuses on the auditing of statement of accounts was we are ready to go and it provided an update in terms of the audit fee.
can I just come back to its' remit, section 2, which is the key milestone on deadline, the intention is for the audience to start in October 2024 with the Audit findings report GOP mural, and the annual Audit report being issued by December in line or readiness for your January neutral.
sexual paragraph 2 point through of the report.
we dealt with local audit backlog, within that paragraph I made reference to the further the proposed back stop date for historic audit and including 22 23 is going to be starting at 3.00 0 or steps about 2024 and 4 23 24 to be that the 1st of May 2025,
however, there has been an object yesterday, the government has decided to revised all those books.
the new date for 22 23 is not going to be December 2024, rather than September 2024.
the new date for 23 24 accounts is going to be February 2025, rather than more 2025, so goes to Quarry that Section 3 of the report made reference to the things that will be charged for 23 24 accounts.
we're currently this mean that a total audit fee of 1 175 care will be charged for 23 24, which is an increase from previous year phase of 72,000 pounds for a huge increase to conduct on dismount our way, handover to social care from Grant Thornton who is going to introduce the appendix attached to the report.
Microphone A - 0:03:53
good evening and evening landlords we have in front of you, as you can see, the plan for 23 24, as already mentioned, we haven't finished or haven't signed the Audit for 22 23, so this is an indicative audit plan for what we intend to do when we
commence our fieldwork. In October this year we will at closer to the point, we will finalise this Audit Plan. So there are some things in here that we we will update and also if in completing our planning work. So there are some key steps to complete its that we identify any more risks to the 23 24 Audit will bring those to your attention in finalising the audit plan. I've got Jasmine Kemp here with me today, so Jasmine it will be. The manager of the audit for the 23 24 Jasmin has worked with your officers in the Finance Team over the past year and is well placed to take the Audit forward, not handover, to Jasmine to present your plan
Microphone B - 0:04:57
good evening, shaggun members, so I will be told them through the 23 24 audit plan, sorry, I'd like to bring your attention to slide 6 of
the Plan which I believe in the agenda draftsman.
Page 20.
sorry, I'll be talking through, did the general?
plan ahead and the summary format that please do ask specific questions. If there are any sorry overall, starting our risk assessment for for the order has not changed since the prior year. It includes what we consider significant risks these are on. It is a academies in the auditing standard to provide things that are a higher risk of material misstatement or error that we look at in specific and more detail than perhaps some of the other areas of the Park estate.
sorry, this includes a risk of management override of controls, this is our detailed testing on Jonathan and actions inserted by your officers, this is a standard, significant risk across all audits that we cannot robots, it does not mean that we think there is a weakness in your control environment.
specific tasks that we have form
moving on to the next one and devaluation of property, plant and equipment, council dwellings and investment property as a significant material balance on your balance sheet, for which there are assumptions underpinning for evaluation informed by appropriate valuers, and will perform specific procedures to assert the reliability of those assumptions that they could use to incur.
the next run moving on is the valuation of the defined benefit liability, and this is also a significant balance in your balance sheet looking at the future payments to pensioners.
of the LGPS fund, again suspected of of assumptions.
determined by an actuary that we work and specific detail and benchmark against the lack of experts. And finally, the Level 3 financial assets and liabilities fees are balances which do not have observable inputs, making them reliant upon assumptions for the chairman are carrying value. We again look at these and a little bit more detail for slightly more complex than a normal financial asset or liability, so those are the significant risks for our audit, but we will report back to you on in our Audit findings report. Again, these are the same as reply and we obviously do a lot more work behind the scenes on the other balances in the accounts, but those are the ones we wish to draw to your attention.
in doing that, order on the financial statements for 23 24, we determine the planning materiality of 2.035 million pounds.
and in comparison to prior year, which was 2.194 million pounds, this is determined offered the group the gross expenditure of the Council, we have also looked at the group expenditure and determined materiality of 1,000,900 49,000 pounds and in the price was 2.107 million pounds.
we have determined the specific loan materiality for.
the remuneration of senior officers and termination benefits, as we believe that this is a specific balance for that works, additional attention in the I note and members of the public interest we've also set a proportionate and reality, which is a slightly lower threshold which we use to determine some of our testing and that set at 75 70% of the figures in the above.
we sat one final threshold, which is a trivial threshold above which any errors omissions this statement, we will communicate to you in our Audit findings report, we have set that threshold at 102,000 pounds for the group and 97,000 pounds for the Council.
moving on to the next item on inside just talking through the kind of value for money arrangements, and so you'll be aware that we are required to follow the NAO Code on providing a VFM assessment that captures the three ease.
and financial resilience and governance arrangements for the council will continue to update our risk assessment to assess the significant risks of Week next for the Council and provide an update accordingly to a later our audit and governance committee cruel we issue are 23 24 officers annual report.
the next matter is regarding the group audit, so it is looking at opportunities to ask limited hospital Park limited and hospital Park Development company limited, so this I would like to draw your attention to slide 27 of the Paxman at 13 on the slides.
that's our Group Audit Scotland, risk assessment in which will you clearly obviously defined Folkestone's district council at individual significant, as say, the primary entity as the body?
I'd just like to touch, and then a few matters within the cyber that we would like to update in due course, which is we reflected on opportunities limited and in fact that is individual Smith significant based on the circumstances other including material investment property within its accounts, our planned audit approach will instead to be performing specific audit procedures over the investment property valuations assumptions therein, and that will be our planned audit approach that will form part of the slide. The second point of reflection is an otaku park lap. We have now determined that it's not individually significant and therefore we will continue the planned audit approach of the analytical review.
the final matter sorry, go back to the slide, 20 of the pack is just one final, but in order at logistics which has been touched on and I think we're also owner, so our plan for the order is to take place between October and December 2024.
for the fee mentioned five Ilo, which was 175,836 pounds I'd like to bring to your attention that this fee has increased significantly in the prior year, but this is both to offer for a public Sector appointments body, this is a procurement body outside of our heads as auditors and that's the reason to be increasing the fee to trigger a new contract period for the next five years.
happy to call it bear that.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:11:36
thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:11:41
I've got some questions.
obviously, was the letter that came out from the new Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local government with a different Newtyle lines, how will that impact current plan the year ahead and also 22
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:12:00
23, who is best placed to answer that thank you against the revised deadline for 22 23 is going to be December.
24, you say mixture earlier does will not change,
our plan, in terms of where we are going through the clear intention, is that we will be coming back to this committee with 22 23 on 4 September, which is still more skilful in terms of 23 24, while the deadline is not going to be.
foreboding 2045, the intention is to come to your total January uniform, so although there have been changes to the deadline is just a guide, but in terms of the Council we are going to comply with the agreed date of coming to September 22 23 and permits are granted an informative 23 24, thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:12:59
thank you Allah, and just to clarify 7 September meeting of eurozone governments committing when you bring the 22 23 accounts to that
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:13:12
meeting, will not be too cynical or what what what state rugby and you can call it.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:13:14
progress another questions, but I will open it up to the Committee first anybody out.
to participate.
because?
Central picture.
thank you, Peter.
next year.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:13:33
well, I, just just coming back home at our last meeting, needs bearing in.
we announced almost 900 9 since then instrumental in relation to the North, and I guess what it's gonna, be helpful for us to understand is whether the matter is also delayed. Signing the accounts are ones that are kind of one officer will be resolved. Multiple knock-on issues next weekend, or what is the risk that we're going to find ourselves in the same position without the intention to get the accounts back to next year's accounts until January, but I'm hoping to see the same sort of solicitors and how do we, as a community care reassured that the matter is causing the delays will be fixed and officers within whilst maintaining
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:14:18
thanks very much for Councillor Brett's, and I think you're right where we came down, so this couldn't see during your last report we assure you that we are all very magical Fender, but this 5 to 20 friends we should last a technical accounting issue was just too goofy group accounts and that has taken a significant amount of effort to be able to pay for.
and in addition to that, the auditors, as been aware in terms of dealing fairly shares, they came back in July ready to finalise the accounts, unfortunately due to a shortage of resources, I would say my ward member of my team who tends to deal with that supporting vulnerable so the we are currently working on that particular impact where the intention is to provide the auditors with a final estimate of account by this Friday, so was that has been done, is left for our auditors to review the our towns and come back if there is any other comments or anything.
in terms of impact on 23 24, once we can resolve this group accounting issue 22 23 that in actually a positive benefit Council in terms of working school 23 24 easily, as you know, we've already published two single entity, accounts for 23 24 and the only thing that is currently in the community group accounts.
once we currently drug Russell 22 23, I can assure you make our lives easier for 43 44.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:16:05
and can I just ask, I disappeared from the Tories clear?
it's on the key matters page 6 PDF teed up the agenda, pack of your
slides just the second or third bullet point.
just saying that you would like to meet informally with the Chair of Angie to brief them on progress and status of the audit work to date will not be something you will e-mail me between now and September
Microphone A - 0:16:31
order, or what kind of date would you be thinking?
say yes, we can meet before September and think one other thing to know is the your section 1 5 1 and I will be catching up regularly in the run-up also.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:16:45
any other questions from the Committee.
Councillor Lockwood,
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:16:53
thank you chairs, the hazelnut, repeating Councillor, which is questioned, but there were obviously we flagged two meetings ago, there were some issues with.
the supply of information from the council to the auditors.
which we will reassured would be resolved, can we just have that on the record that that's been?
is she when recur, and then a separate question out, Jill holliganism?
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:17:20
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:17:22
just a very brief response to that question, yes, I mean that was flagged, are where we are talking about marking of expenditure last time I can confirm that that has been resolved, and that is no more an issue, and I do to spread that to impact 23 24 going forward, thank you.
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:17:38
thank you and then the other question.
Will the increased thing?
meaning that the resources are available within your retain to respond because again, the last meeting I think we discussed
we will miss our slot and and therefore auditors moved on to a hospital accounts and school accounts, or something we're just be increased fee, then allow within your scouted to accommodate our needs.
Microphone A - 0:18:16
so the increased fee it doesn't result in.
a significant amount of increase resource because we have the resource that will need.
the fees reflect the costs it it takes to do in order that doesn't necessarily mean more bodies and the audit team it, it means that we are versus the payment for what we do is appropriately reflected, I think you'll find with the backstop dates being February 2025 for the completion of the 20 3 24 order that that should be well in advance of when we do our NHS work which is towards the tail end of April.
thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:18:56
can you more questions from the Committee, Councillor Richard, yes,
Cllr James Butcher - 0:19:03
just really to build on what what you asking Chair and?
I think I think what part of our experience was not feeling fully briefed and kept up-to-date with what was going on and that we can achieve our last meeting that felt quite length of, or what is going on and.
I'm not sure whether her quietly operates in the meantime, the wall-mounted expenses, sorry, I guess, is request to consquences up-to-date with time on what you're talking about, whether Councillor Campbell and her analysis here has made 120 varieties is to request to you on a warm welcome to the quality of design for non-racial for we're on track.
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:19:45
thank you, Councillor Boucher, I cannot say comment referred and make sure that your are provided with little thought of as soon as recall, I mean again, make a reference to what social applause said, Toby regular discussion between Sophia, the auditors and warfare for which is Libya in terms of annual updates are not solid
gets anything Andrew Boe material they'll be used for share, I'm sure we'll be able to broadly share and Deputy in line, thank you.
any more questions or comments from the Committee.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:20:19
would any of the three, given that your own opportunity asked like to comment on noticed on page 24 minute opportunities, refresh?
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:20:30
we've agreed to move to take item after item 4.
so if we don't mind during that, that's
the psychic an opportunity.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:20:48
coming for the Committee to note the report, so could offer proposer place, Councillor Butcher, a seconder Councillor ring, thank you, and can take a boat normal agreed.
that is unanimous, thank you so, moving on to item 8, which is

5 External Quality Assessment of Internal Audit Update Report

6 Internal Audit Annual Report

7 Quarterly Internal update Report from the Head of East Kent Audit Partnership

8 Procurement - Council Contracts Variation Update

procurement, the Council contracts, value variation, updates pages 127 236 of report
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:21:16
Matthew Weaver, thank you.
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:21:19
thank you, sir, the report in front of you is about procurement, and the Council contract variations objects.
when the Committee met on the 13th of March 2024, you requested for a detailed report or procurement money, blend information for contracts, information on contract variation process, and we need to come back to you today if it detail in terms of what we believe it up with four camels.
the paper in front of you did what we do in terms of procurement and contract management.
it dealt with public procurement and contract variations in terms of what we have to do, it made it clear reference under Section 4 in terms of variations and approve a process in terms of due process that we we have to follow section 5 of the report is looking clear under permitted modification in terms of what officers to go through looking at necessity of additional requirements on fostering circumstances and necessity of the change in contractor where applicable,
the we are touched a detailed variations that had been agreed between 1st of February 2020 3 first of 27th of February 2023 on 14th of February 2014 2024, to give you a clear guidance or created in terms of the number of variation that that we can go neutral I will stop there to the questions and just to let you know, I've got the council procurement manager idea boiler with me or something to take questions
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:23:16
as well, thank you, sir, thank you on any questions from the Committee.
on a court order variation.
Councillor Richard.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:23:27
yes, really helpful to see the the variations I counted 24 7, but I've no idea whether that's to be expected or a bit alarming and interest, so I think it'd be helpful to understand.
what percentage, so what percentage of our Perkins things there's ended up as a very interesting and again some Cameron gracing about whether that's alarming or reassuring or didn't expect our so again, some kind of engagement.
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:23:57
mostly of variations to McDonnell health upon percent falls on the. Please see our local motion. Unless there is an issue in circumstances which does PCR, our deregulation will accommodate, and also in terms of no, frankly, whilst there are numerous scrutinised sale, but he then has he goes right now, which we can prepare later, and also I have also been in contact with no drawn alternatives just to see what their figures are managed, just to be able to see whether it with lamb or not, I have some industrial, have not been able to provide all the figures but a lot the finger when a lot of variation as well, but are like us, not been confident of office that we will see if you feel unable to shed some light on this, but I don't think that the variances within the squad is a landlord because it's the same across all of God and then defend reasons for variations like resources. For some of our, IT is or friends were means, extra resources when you were Minister seen so we might need extra licensing and things like that or their circumstances were not for, we had to change our provider, obese or reputational version days, and we have to change with internally and fearful for bit you have to look at the circumstances and we have to make sure that boardroom
not just about just coming through, because we feel that we want to work with a particular supplier, but they must be able to prove transparency, fairness as well, and that is really essential or necessary for Darfield last year.
gareth
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:25:42
Cllr James Butcher - 0:25:45
when we next week from you and what you can often have strong feelings are normal form, no coastline.
Mr Ola Owolabi - 0:25:54
thanks, preferable, show again due to sign the updates, and we can make these a adapted portfolio of yearly update.
we will does all to come to the meeting if we haven't got anything more failure to fall out over in terms of variation or other shame, if that is something that we can come to walk on a yellow control, how care, but without a significant change, come in within procurements work the recognition will be changing and that is something that would be able to come to you just to clarify what are the changes.
what a what are we work to look at the moment, what a potential changes that may impact our procurement process, so that is something that we will come back to the Committee with thank you are like any
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:26:41
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:26:41
talent Committee when that might be in your what can get through looking at timelines, we generally keep our record on an annual basis so to keep track of what we're doing, and so the numbers that you have all responses and we have done things figures for the last financial year so generally nice to have.
you depends on the numbers that we have requested or we don't advocate, so if we say quarterly we might not have any sickness at all so generally on this variation, I would recommend an annual, so we'll see what will doing online justice action figures and record and one OK, thank you any other questions.
this item.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:27:24
no is the Committee happening to to note the contents of report and that a further report would watch the Committee in six months on from an update including new procurement law reform.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:27:41
area can add the closer place you and a seconder, thank you, Councillor ring, and are we agreed agreed, so that's the unanimous thank you remove back to item 5, which is
the external quality assessment of internal audit update report.

5 External Quality Assessment of Internal Audit Update Report

Microphone C - 0:27:59
thank you Chair good evening members and to introduce to the court I wrote to take me to take some 46 of the pack and just look at paragraph 2.1, you'll remember, members, we've talked about the internal audit public sector auditing standards, they the standards we currently work to have been in place since the 1st of April 2013 and they've had to provisions in that time since that time of 2016 and 2017, so all public sector internal audit services are required to measure how well they conform to the standards.
and there are different ways of performing these assessments to date the Committee has received a summary of the self assessment that we've undertaken, which has been validated by the for Section 1 5 1 officers working across the partnership, and this has led to an action plan and we've provided updates in the annual courts against those actions so we've relied upon self-assessment until this point the Standards himself.
do require an external quality assurance assessment at once, one in every five years, so this is the result of of that assessment.
whilst it is a requirement that the Standards to undertake IPC business will benefit to the Committee in receiving this report.
because it provides that independent view of your internal audit service and clearly gives you a level of conquer confidence in the work that we've undertaken and the results that we've achieved and report especially important for the next item on the agenda for you to consider this evening. So we're looking at the level of performance with those standards and the Code of ethics, the other benefit of having undertaken the assessment now is because the public Sector Internal Audit Standards, I certainly personally refer refer to them as praising I'll will be leaving us and from the 1st of April 2025 will will now be asked to conform to the global internal audit standards. They will be mandatory from that point. There is still quite a lot of discussion within the profession, how the local government application of those global standard, so it's all sectors, public private charity, everything so there will be a Local government application Note to help us.
translate, if you like, the global standards to the local government sector and those tools are still being developed through the Institute need to the internal auditors and through CIPFA, so it's useful for us to have undertaken this assessment now because we've actually got four more years before we are reassessed against the new standards by which time when Rooney understood them and had an opportunity to making changes. The other thing that's really important to highlight is the rather
glowing opportunities for the three levels within this assessment, so we could have either received. The score does not conform partially conforms or the highest, which we have achieved, which is generally conforms. There's not exactly very exciting, but I think if I take you to paragraph 3.5 and to help quantify that there's a possible score range 0 2 3 and the East Kent Audit Partnership has scored 2.6 1, which is above average. The average score across all sectors is 2.5 3 and arranged in local government is from 2 1 9 2 2.7 1, so the assessor some Joseph as doing better than most, I think visually it's useful to look at the table
on page 47 in paragraph 3.2 and you can see as the Orange line there is the results for these Kennedy. Partnership against our local government is
and furthermore in the table below sorry I wouldn't explained the numbers on the on the bottom kidney, there are the standards which are better explained in the table below than 3.3, so you can see what those relate to
one last visual
so the two for the position how these Kennedy Partnership has been assessed is the taped in 3 point for again. The orange line is these community partnership, which has scored exceptionally well against its pause
so there are a number of recommendations on how the table is turned, who audits the auditors who has now got to agree to an action plan, so firstly I think it is useful to highlight some are written off to to stretch our already good levels of conforming to kind of challenge just as they were, how how could you do that even better they are the green ones and most of those start with the word consider in the in the pack.
and that's, of course, against the current process standards and then secondly to help us prepare for the global internal audit standards which come in, as I say from April, these ones are there to help us build towards the conference of those and, for example, the new standards the word should has been replaced with the word must in in lots of the Standards and that's going to be quite challenging especially for small things to to comply with the full external quality assessment is appended and 2 to this report including the detailed action plan and progress against which I will report in subsequent and reports to the Committee. So it won't go out of you and you will be kept up-to-date on on what we are undetectable. The report is for noting members, but I'm happy to take any questions. Thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:33:34
just one question from me.
aged 69,
agenda pack, just on the recommendations, a number 2, I would be very stiff, strongly, like recommend at the Committee to have training for the new, given any standards, so that's something that we could look
Microphone C - 0:33:57
to arrange, what kind of timescale would you recommend or
but thank you Chair, yes, indeed, the assessor who undertook the quality assessment gave us a very.
good value opportunity to for him to come in if you're happy to.
we want to do that, please virtually to undertake the training sessions, so I thought that would be really useful, we discussed it with me to already and hopefully the concept that of the members of the Committee if they are interested in hearing from one obviously he's undertaking assessments across a large number of things across
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:34:31
country for thank you will then you'll get that ran that's that's good, thank you any questions from the Committee on this agenda item.
Councillor Butcher
Cllr James Butcher - 0:34:41
this included a question she said congratulations.
so that must be required to ensure confidence not to comply with the
Microphone C - 0:34:52
confidence and ongoing subsequent Russell competency, thanks says is is useful and quite haven't been as well to be on the other side of or keen to.
I should say, as by what I should thank colleagues, who also the fourth day satisfaction questionnaire and and also to further engage with with the process, so thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:35:08
and can I echo that and the second that on behalf of the Committee?
Liz, congratulations.
no more questions on this item in that case, let's go to agenda items,
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:35:21
we have note when we need to do, we need to note.
note the report.
arrhythmic
to receive and note the report claims cadaver proposer.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:35:38
the second recommendation
for
and 2, and the recommendation that Members note return to a report on the findings of the flow of the generally conforms to the performance of the public sector internal audit standards are we happy to note and
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:36:02
do that so proposer Councillor Les seconder Councillor rings thank you and are we agreed agreed that is unanimous. Thank you so moving on to Item.

6 Internal Audit Annual Report

which is?
the internal audit annual report 2023 to 24.
Microphone C - 0:36:21
thanks at this evening's agenda is no way an accident and the layout was nowhere in accident. So haven't heard that you hopefully can really take full confidence in the work that we've undertaken. This is a very important report to the Committee and leads on to a later item on the agenda for your annual governance statement. So internal audit, of course, is one source of assurance for the Committee and meeting your objectives as a committee to be able to be in a position to sign that statement is is a really important part. So this report is clearly in two parts. I think paragraph 1.1 on page 82 sets out the purpose of the report
and this, of course, is also to ensure that we comply with our professional standards so there, when we have set it out clearly as what we want to do so.
in two parts firstly went on to page 85 paragraphs 3.1 2 3.7 detailed these important metrics for the Committee to understand how these can all do partnership has performed against at varying targets throughout the year and that information is fully summarised in Appendix 3 which has purchased 95 96 where the balanced scorecard of performance indicates input indicators report on our performance against for the whole year just like to highlight there was a saving in 22 3 which wasn't fully apparent to me either to a cut off for the year so we have brought that forward into 24 5 and that's details on on the balanced scorecard there.
and that was partly because they have this staff vacancy and partly due to some unplanned income through to an undertaking for additional grant work, so we have got, I've been in discussion with the section 1.1 observe how reporting that back and we are looking to bring in an external,
specialist and computer Audit to undertake one of board. It is one of the audits in the plan for you this year, so be excited to see that when that comes forward to the Committee, sorry, second, and arguably, more important purpose of one part of this report is to set out the impact of the work that was undertaken in year on the overall systems of internal control. So all the results of the work and and members who sees the collection of the last four meetings there's nothing new here, so all of the work that that you have seen in the last four meetings starts on page 86 in Port paragraph 4.1 whereas show kind of three views of that work, so the first one is the number of recommendations that we have raised within the individual reports, and letters sets out so those 139 there are shown split between critical, high medium and low quality ratings and of course, the definitions of various are also in attendance to the report, and then paragraph 4.2 is the individual assurances across the pieces of work that we have issued. Andrew again, you know we have achieved. We use that as a Council of retreat, an excellent result of 71% of those individual pieces of work being in substantial or reasonable assurance levels,
and finally, paragraph 4.3 we often to tell you, Members, you know we add an audit, is a snapshot in time, but then it's the so what we come back three or six months later and look at those agreed actions and say how his management got on. Are they
have they had they managed to embed these new internal controls, are they working, are they effective and have we need to go to the risks that were previously identified, so follow up is a really important part of our work and paragraph 4.3 shows the results of our progress reports.
Page 93, which the appendix 2 details all of the time spent against.
the original great plan with you and any changes to the Audit Plan in the top table form
one page 90 will lead to spend the opinion, this is split into the three aspects that make up your overall control. Controlled environment, and the appendix B opinion is a backward look, at course up to the 31st of March this year, so all of the areas that we have identified in paragraphs 5.1 and 5 point too detailed for you are being tracked through the corporate governance board, where we now have the recommendation tracker being presented regularly.
and any that need to be also discussed that for all tea as required, the council has a really good track record in implementing agreed recommendations following the audit work and, of course, has strong corporate risk management approach and adopting systems which again is another item on the agenda.
and that approaches courses being adopted operationally and you'll see on the findings from work.
members, no system of control, current and completely eliminate risk and internal audit cannot provide absolute assurance, but my opinion does confirm that there is an effective, ongoing process for identifying, evaluating and managing risk and,
add new paragraphs, section 1 0 sorry, that's in the report is connecting members and I'm happy to take any questions, thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:41:28
thank you, Christine, any questions from the Committee.
Councillor voucher.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:41:43
yeah, the garden waste one which he wasn't parties, got, hopefully through number 23, what what happens, is there an update on that, or do we get to me where that's got to be, there hadn't changed it.
between December and September there needs to be changed in San rating.
on
4
thanks Peter, so any of those opinions that have not.
so we ask it's our right, the original report 28 December 22, and then follow up, came to the Committee in September 23 any of those high risk, a critical with outstanding you've intend to action, are now being tracked through the recommendation tracker and what we will do this big reincarnating if there were any.
back to the committee and you could, within the Committee, scared to
Microphone C - 0:42:49
ask for an update. Coastal Management says that if you are concerned that progress isn't the month, but if you're receiving assurances from ASC, there is an agreed action plan. There is new date and these risks are still, it is the intention to do something about them. Thing and Campbell are on that assurance if you are still concerned or cautious than of asked for an update, there's there's nothing. Within this report, statistically outside some agreed action plan
Cllr James Butcher - 0:43:17
which I understand the process that that with that in its follow up results still got limited assurance does not mean you saying that doesn't automatically come back to us all we need across.
I guess it's just wanting to understand how we, having seen that's a bit of an issue, as it had any assure ourselves that I can thank you for this, because of an understanding forms also processes going on amongst officers just from our authority and the Minister of Finance in this inquiry by offering a kind of,
Microphone C - 0:43:52
I also spoke to check this kind of two ways in March, when the considerable the plan we will present to you, or if the audience we've undertaken and the ones that are coming up, we will look at the assurance before and after follow up and you're absolutely right as are limited after follow up that is still set to negative aka St where actually we need to bring that one forward because there is significant risk for if things have moved on and the recommendations have been tracked and implemented we will seek to revise the assurance members.
may ask for an interim update, or even a second, follow up to provide that assurance if there are outstanding concerns that that's exactly the right question that the Committee should be asking.
and hopefully there will be less opportunities for for wanting to read needs, second, follow up because of the recommendation tracker 0 understanding of that mechanism, I hope that helps, but yes, really it's it's throughout the quarterly reports answered annual plan process,
Cllr James Butcher - 0:44:52
performance, you can write any March, we should be able to see whether or not that now got easy withdrawn, absolutely, that if there were
Microphone C - 0:45:01
individual visiting, the Committee wanted an update at the next meeting, then that certainly from all in hospital.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:45:09
thank you appendix them to the performance against agreed 23 24, approximately district council or the plan, I'm just wondering the items that have been classified or produced fared, what what happens or what kind of the update on that might be.
Microphone C - 0:45:25
thank you, it's a shame this report doesn't come in March alongside the plan but ideally and you will be able to correlate any of that have been perspective so that would have applied or your rolling plan and during the year there will be adjustments to that plan, things that could come forward and push for which we can use at Portsmouth any the all post-primary management request could be for a number of reasons and also research, and we've fought for both good reasons and you'll see them will automatically come into the next year's plan and some will just be pushed back. It's about the perception of risk at the time when we're doing that work to determine the plan
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:45:59
any other questions on this matter.
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:46:05
Councillor Lockwood, no question just to comment to say another excellent report, thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:46:11
Councillor Richard, thank you wanted to say something, yes, it was
Cllr James Butcher - 0:46:15
just to note the I know we've got a report on health and safety for women, you are making a contribution during our listening to want to someone who said I thank you for your letter to say I haven't covered yet.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:46:29
so no more questions for this item, our comments in that case committee is asked to receive and note the the two recommendations, another proposer please.
Councillor picture, a secondary transfer record, thank you very much worth Committee agree this great mates unanimous, thank you.
so item 7 again back to Crystal sorry, Chris

7 Quarterly Internal update Report from the Head of East Kent Audit Partnership

Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:46:53
when captured the report before you on page 97 page the regular reporting abuse to see that comes to each of the Audit Committee meeting, if I'd been indirect duties page, although one shows the main reports that have been undertaken for the period since the last Council meeting,
you'll see that there's Noreen reinforce, undertaken with various assurance levels on three of these were substantial for a reasonable one, was substantially limited, enormous limited, the main one is of interest to you how the mismanagement which was substantial, walking our employee health and safety supporting both of these have received a management response and these are detailed on page 110 for the Risk Management report any pages 113 for the health and safety.
moving on to page 114, this shows the follow up single completed in the period, and of these they will on three that.
special note that has increased from limited or partial and limited up to ring St Augustine's was independent living.
I mean, the contract management of waste collection and the housing tenancy fraud.
it's on page 115, this shows the a comment on the waste management and street cleansing, and a lot of good work has been undertaken on the left at goody out to the reasonable assurance level.
however, there were a number of recommendations, 94 sort of fine high level or high risk, and these ones management has changed into except those ones, and it was felt that it would be useful to very nice to the attention of the Committee so that you were just aware of all the recommendations that the range and the comments at management of main Council initially is showing.
starts on page 119.
4 on page 124, which shows the plan to date, the plan to the end of May is roughly 14%, and concerns and bringing up to date to the end of June, it's nearly 21% contributed, say, that's against target and then 25% since the slightly during that that will pick up during the year as as the Programme moves forward,
those are the main highlights of report on with the things to take any
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:49:43
questions you might have, thank you, thank you for that.
can I just ask 2.1 point show the carbon action plan, it says that sets out 33 actions for the council to complete, I'm just wondering, how are we on track because that much progress being made on that front and a second question on.
with management,
what good might the 17 agreed management actions to adjust the identified risks again, are we on chalk widows?
Folkestone & Hythe Officer - 0:50:20
these these, whereas we will take any food when them when he comes reachable from the work.
the the recommendations will be overly detailed and brought up to date at that time.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:50:35
any other questions remain committed.
Councillor brochure.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:50:42
yeah just a couple of issues to pick up the the health and safety, and I think we've got the management response and noting that we haven't had reports but which needs to get one since the a half year, along with me, surprisingly, buses are half year report and it's thanks in another report back in March isn't at all.
Microphone C - 0:51:09
yeah, the Health and Safety annual report as Pakistan.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:51:12
3, An annual report and that the minutes
Cllr James Butcher - 0:51:14
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 0:51:20
sorry annual report, it is a well I'm just I'm just noticing that it's
Cllr James Butcher - 0:51:27
in the season new paragraph well I know it's on page 1 1 3
paragraph beginning the Corporate leadership Team will work, we receive quarterly update, updating you, Councillor Neil in governance, committee of the healthier, along with the accounts saga, thanks and officer at an officer level.
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 0:51:45
I can answer that one, thank you Chair, yes, sir, in that paragraph this is progress on the
action plan for the recommendations in the audit what we got in this pack is the annual report for health and safety, in addition to that, we've got an action plan to improve our Audit Fee, limited to or have been reasonable or above, and what Avenue in two thirds it will see progress on that at the heart of Birmingham's movement.
so the next report, after this will be the enforcement.
as was expected by December.
there needs to be more welcoming, more working, full deadline of the year-end from the updates for your son in kept, but you will definitely see progress on that reported to have a December meeting.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:52:44
Mr Ewan Green - 0:52:44
thank you Chair, I just add a comment in terms of the Health and Safety report, please, and any solemnly director with responsibility for health and safety function, Nicconi, Songda and certainly that the outcome of the order in which, for some company meeting I will also you'll get your oral care it's just to give them my assurance that this this is right at the top of my risk as a priority.
address along with colleagues, a couple of leadership to and we're taking, we've seen the management response, it is taking for immediate actions to move this forward quickly, so my assurance to view that this will be at the top of our agenda.
to move forward as quickly as possible so that we get that what reviewing period sorry after the review team will be moved from limited I do either or above.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:53:32
thank you for sharing that with us any more questions or comments, Councillor picture.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:53:41
this is on page 1 1 6, where it talks about the supervision of A&E performance initially is on today.
and weekends and.
management has satisfied the worst standards for unacceptable levels this can be assessed through other means, such as complaints from the reports of officers and Councillors that feels a slightly strange way to been managing the contract, particularly as those times that meetings or meetings with them was her when offering.
fortunately
I would say, without pain or without widely seen over and, above all, the normal also knowledge, but it feels a bit risky just to leave that for things to go wrong and people from I compliance dental services in Woking are increasingly audiences often comes from.
thank you for introducing is entitled resourcing boxing yourself.
Andrew Rush - 0:54:41
frankel Headteacher.
the obviously we use a range of
sort of inputs to month contract yesterday, to listen to the public condition to councillors and listen to our own staff, and we have several by other things, for example, enforcement officers also contributed to the insufficient, but ultimately within the key thing to supervise the contract is for the waste officers which we have tunes in the area, and we, if you look at the recommendation on, I think, on page 102 by 2, which deals with the
revising of the 17 week 17 working pattern. This is actually something we are still looking at to do so and then, as the report rightly points out, this is a joint contract with Dover. David took the recommendation for looking at 7.00 day. Working didn't feel it really suited them because of thickets of to Britain's situation pinches. We have obviously been chairs the coastal weekend, very, very busy, so we are still looking to progress that so whilst the recommendation says so didn't ultimately rejected, it's not actually been ultimately rejected by by this Council, so we are looking to to still do that and but we have to prioritise resource that we have within the team and we have to to demands on on that rock, literally only during the week, the refuse collections and instantly so trying to rectify any issues with missed collection. Missed assisted collections is really really vital, which does mean that we then have a a gap on the weekend because reports the actual rate of 5 days, so we we, we are looking to to change
patterns of working as much as we can to provide a greater service so that we can, but in previous years I haven't used also inputs from particularly for my enforcement in one parliament enforcement team have been working weekends and Aussie any input from Members as well.
it is vital to sort of to give a comprehensive picture comes from two sources, there's only so much that can be done.
I hope that answers your question.
Cllr James Butcher - 0:56:57
in terms note, thanks for clarifying that, Andrew, that's meaningful instability, it sounded like you were considering.
and how to respond to that and to to the recommendation about an out-of-hours monitoring and says that something will hear back about or
we get to understand when we finally settled on that.
Andrew Rush - 0:57:17
I don't know if Serena is asked if the reported back to this Committee, but
we will be looking to renovate and changes every single year in terms of our monitoring and a marginal increase will be prioritised and yeah, I consulting e-mail me looking at a point about.
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:57:38
Cllr Adrian Lockwood - 0:57:38
thank you any more questions or comments, Councillor Mowat.
thank you Chair, so, just following on from that, where each of those recommendations in Appendix one.
Page 1 1 8 0 would say, considered and ultimately rejected by management.
I I got in your last answer that
point number one is actually still alive.
so what have we know what the position is with the other items, if they just say rejected by management, were what does that mean, sorry, I don't understand?
Microphone C - 0:58:14
thank you Chair, I think it's a bit.
exercise and understanding this management, in the sense that internal audit and external review.
against the contract identified potential risks through the drafting of the initial audit. A great and actions at the time follow up management was talking about what they were doing, that those actions we didn't think we're progressing, but without obviously, as was said, many other things have improved such that we could raise the assurance to reasonable. We felt was our duty of care just to remind the Committee, will we've had originally identified these issues, a management we felt weren't taking them forward at the time of writing the report. Clearly we're hearing. Third, although issues are still being considered, so that might mean it's a good exercise in this, because the trail of governance that these are things recommendations, and perhaps you would prefer a set of updating future. We was, we would not be intending
to track things because we do not anticipate any further action, so our next work of nurse would be at the next door to it in maybe two or three years' time, so only permitted if that's not your wish, if you
Cllr Liz McShane - 0:59:25
wanted something else than YouTube, thank you.
maybe the something committee then discussed separately and come back
any any more questions or comments on this item.
Olga in that case we've got to note and the two recommendations, so can I have a proposal place, Councillor Butcher, thank you in a seconder roughly thank you, Councillor wing.
we agree that agreed unanimous, thank you, she will skip to item 9.

9 Quarterly code of conduct complaints update report

Mrs Amandeep Khroud - 1:00:02
I Mandeep let to take that thank you, so it's costing the code of conduct complaints, updates report, thank you Chair happy to and Members SCC 49 code of conduct, complaints, update reports and for Quarter 4 of 23 24 and 41 an of 24.
from the 1st of April to the 30th of June 2024, the recommendations before you on page 137, as the monitoring officer of the Council, I'm under no obligation, section 27 of the Localism Act, to help promote and maintain high standards of conduct by members and co-opted members of the Authority.
the terms of reference for this Committee require the Committee to receive, unfortunately, reports and ensure that this report is one of them, a summary of the complaints is set out in paragraph 2.1 and paragraph 2 point to seeks to outline the types of complaint any habitable death which will be assistance.
sorry, happy to answer any questions that you will tab under
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:01:14
recommendation is to receive and note the report exemption, thank you Andy, any comments or questions from the Committee.
no, it's pretty straightforward report, so can we note and receive the report, can I have a proposer, please, Councillor wing, on the second or Councillor Lockwood, thank you, we all agreed.
that's unanimous, thank you, so item 10.
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:01:38
which is Jonathan update the Corporate Risk Register, thank you, thank you and goodnight Chair good evening members, this reports provides you with an update to the Corporate Risk Register, which last considered at the Audit and Governance Committee on the 30th of March this year.
an overview of the Corporate Risk Register.
coming through the appendix one of the things, that's on 149 in the packs for quick and easy reference.
what I've done here has presented the risks against the risk matrix.
which highlights all 19 of the corporate risks were currently and listed in Corporate Risk Register, so that you can see clearly
the high level and
lower level risks will note from that that we've got for that. We're continuing to consider as extreme risk
below the risk matrix, you'll see that we've got the dashboard which.
members noted that we presented lunchtimes draft, so we continue to use this, this presents you with a high level detail.
giving you know the current risk score against each other in the items on the register and the direction of travel, meaningful increase or decrease in risk since the last time that the Register was presented here.
we've not suggested any increase to the risk scores on annual days, and the no new risks have been added to the register since the last meeting, however, we have suggested that for risks being reduced, so risks are considered by our corporate governance board Android, recommendations for changes guaranteeing Seal Team before they are put in this report as a proposal but essentially you're saying,
on the dashboard, anything with a down our suggests that we've we evaluated to score, based on looking at the needs against the circumstances, the actions officers have taken and the
I lessen the likelihood of the risk occurring.
the details of what goes on and the changes made because we've also made some slight changes to risk descriptions.
to reflect more accurately the Ryskin that detailed on 6, Section 3 of the main report,
and this was put forward for your consideration and approval and I'm happy to take any questions and thank you, and can I just reiterate that it is really helpful to see the information to be displayed visually graphic anybody colour it just makes it a bit more digestible and to be able to contrast and you'll get everything sort holistically so I think all comedy feels that's really good advance.
in terms of third scoring, I presume just to clarify the higher the score, the higher the risk, the bigger the risk faster rate if you look at the in the appendix on the first page of that will be at risk matrix, you can see it's all related to the strategy that,
members will seen when we can bring it back for review. If you look at that is on page 1 4 9, it's assessing the likelihood of that yesterday on the left-hand side or the other access of impact. So, yes, the highest score uses the high level risks and is colour coded, according also considers for which were classified as high risk and very sorry extremist on their which are either very likely or significance of all the the method for doing that. We set out in our strategy and which again will bring back to the US emerging. But it sets out the case for guidance for 14 risks
school, bearing in mind that this is a matter essentially, or is it all out?
our leadership team for what they require more.
can I just ask about the article Park?
can you mimic just elaborate a little bit on that white high risk?
Chris Day, just in the on the table.
OK.
furthermore.
unfortunately, just one.
that's fine.
this one is maintain the high level of risk a century, there are lots of triggers that affects the delivery of this project.
I think would
the detailed description where it is around having,
central planning actions have been progressed in order to make this successful delivery is still considered to be high level risks there's also the
the single issue of the housing land supply for about a moral issue and if you want to add infamous answer to that.
if I could just add Chair, thank you on closer Jonathan.
I think that this covenant change means the same and that reflects the position with projects at the moment as we agree, as you know, we're going through a review periods at the moment, therefore De Sceaux who works through the local needs and the impact made me feel actually
Mr Ewan Green - 1:07:43
stay at that place at the moment that will reduce as the direction for delivery becomes clearer and therefore the technical planning matters linked to 606 et cetera became full results.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:07:55
I Batsford any other comments or questions, considering thank you,
Cllr John Wing - 1:08:03
Chair, I wrote to talk about the risk c. 1 3 on page 1.2 about father threats, you've actually said you were you wearing that risks to be reduced, but obviously after what happened with a couple of weeks ago,
and we did a very good briefing in here, I think it was last week regarding side with facts and the work being done by the Council, I was just a bit surprised to see actually been reduced, where our street out our fear is taken through the parliament this could actually any in any time but this pointing out the rationale behind that to reduce the risk to sample food absolutely in this one was
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:08:41
discussed at Corporate leadership Team as well.
you will note that it's still.
are high risk level of 12,
but we mended than likelihood of this risk and very likely to likely generally, and mainly because we puts in mitigating and mitigating factors that helped us less than than likelihood in the savings and grant funding from the lack of 125,000 pounds which is being used to provide additional back-up security and on today's monitoring networks and systems so it was felt by Corporate leadership Team that with that and to get you know we've put in the action in place we're treating it but the likelihood been lessened but the severity remains exactly as it was so severe were less likely.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:09:34
thank you any other questions or comments on voucher.
as expected from a couple one is.
Cllr James Butcher - 1:09:41
see 9 said that to achieve carbon neutral, so understand, thinking now about what the actually impact would be, I suppose I'm interested that we don't or we don't see climate change itself is a risk.
so the Council, under this for me, is not registered as a yes, man disclosed between think about the landslip
no without proper attribution studies and Tiffany what what likely it is that climate change is to contribute and very clearly this is a real cost in severe inconvenience or months we honour to ICSs, thankfully 923rd I wonder what the rationale is will not having climate change or the risk.
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:10:26
the we've got to one we've lifted to see 9 right in his failure to achieve carbon neutral by 2017, so I'm not climate change of heart, we probably need to be some work with officers and discussion who, as well around particular impacts of climate change. What specifically said there might be welcomed kind of thing possible to they'd even this one and there's a bit too broad and is certainly just about meeting the target. I think there is scope for doing some work on that and I'll take that lightly
Cllr James Butcher - 1:10:59
and then given asking to ask about.
seen on St change governments, so I think that that bit about the importance of training, educating members and officers, so it does seem really critical, it is quite a major change.
I am totally what will all want us to make sure that that very small.
there was an interaction in the business of the Council and it is for me that I think we all understood the principles of the change, chronic thanks to non-executive Members', needless to Committees, I think for me is the next Leddington regards Harrison, is gonna function.
whether that's taking the current business of our Committee of our existing Committees and Cabinet and how that matches the new structure, what that will look like and feel IT certainly needs, go beyond general principle to actually day-to-day week-to-week Borough Council are among some of the key decisions tracking through have of 900 new system so that when in full sun as we get closer to an oral health needs have been working practice and are inevitably Selby tweaks, it feels like integrated into waterborne ex-cabinet himself.
Mrs Amandeep Khroud - 1:12:11
family groups, thank you Chair, local charities, literature, them all, we need a valid points.
we've made a note of them and we might be pinned tier, actually there are now to do this, we recognise and we hear that members, as you say I have been educated now, and concert halls and various committees and flow charts relating to that, but I think what I Hillary is that you would all like to know how will it feel,
what would be the actual different from day one, I would mean we required to behave at meetings, what kind of decisions in the courts will be coming to which committing we are mapping all of that out, and that was presented to Members, we've got various training sessions already planned for members so please bear with us we will be explaining all of that, thank you.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:13:09
Cllr James Butcher - 1:13:11
that's good to him. Any more questions about you know yesterday, August, on an exemption to the now. Well, that's going to be done and community are not necessarily because that's such an important function where you want them to understand how that will work compared with more alternative than in the work programme. The capacity of sessions where outside pupils come in, as we did with the European Essex system, however, would work, how that would be charged with making a difference to them in Committee, Room, overview and scrutiny, function versus decision mental function, because clearly, current review to be chaired by an opposition member and his answer as RGC Pulse kind of questions, woman that, when it comes to training, just a plea to doing some level differences, somebody talking to a PowerPoint, because I don't think that helps for something a bit more insurances and that will be much greater multiple
any more questions or comments on this item.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:14:06
no, in that case, can, when receiving note the report and
and that the autumn energy Committee reviews the Corporate Risk Register overview appendix them.
and makes any necessary recommendations regarding the Council's management of risk could I have a proposer, please, Councillor Lock, but thank you very much and a seconder Councillor Britisher looks like.
and can we are we happy to agree that agreed, so that is unanimous, thank you so, moving on to item number 11.

11 Health and Safety Annual Report

so it's Health and Safety annual report, and Jonathan you're gonna
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:14:44
take this, thank you, thank you Chair.
this is the report that was alluded to earlier in the audit and report, so this health and safety and who is or details the performance of Corporate Health and Safety over the last financial year and looks into future work, so what this report does really is set out for?
members.
the broad scope of activity that's involved in managing health and safety
it's an airing, we know from that limited assurance we need to improve on, and this report in itself is in part some of our actions to address them getting improving reporting.
room,
corporate governance board, Corporate leadership Team and Audit and governance committee, so this is meant to give a summary of, but it does give a summary of activity over the last year, but also the forward look focuses on the areas we need to improve, that we've already started working on,
and I'll just give you a brief London what those are generally, it's around centralising a lot of the.
inflammation and assessments to do with health and safety. All the areas that are covered in this report. There is a lot of documentation will affect somebody's from parts of the business and one of the areas we need to improve on that. We are making improvements on his synchronising bat, so all the record keeping or the monitoring arrangements or the risk assessments, the key, accessible and auditable and monitoring where we can report on them, which leads us on to the next part, which is then to start reporting the better, and we've begun doing that through newly revamped staff forum which in part and serves as a dedicated health and safety committee for staff members and Unison member. So we start, we've had two meetings already where we've reported health and safety issues and staff and raise those we can share data and that in the next stage is to report that to the corporate governance scored in Arizona said see all tea and here, so we're starting to report better on statistical information. This particular report is an annual Sandwell, she said this one should only come once a year,
but what we're hoping to do for the committee is, as I said earlier report back in December on progress on the actions for the audit.
in the third one, the third action will need to take, as well as reporting is improving the or reviewing and updating are pulsing prestigious our most most of the actions in that Audit will flow out of those board areas of work so that will reporting and detailed progress 3 73 on what it is what you'll see him here is an overview of activity that we're doing and hopefully and improved audit rating and engineer.
I'm happy to take any questions, but the report is for information.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:18:05
so that any questions or comments from the Committee
Councillor wing, thank you, thank you Chair, I am just simply
Cllr John Wing - 1:18:15
obviously there's been quite a jump from sprinting to the 23 to 23 to 24, I understand that 1, the delta loses one seat, medicine looks at the lifting incident middle threats affected there still seems to be quite a jump having so low in agrees what looked into why there was recently a from increasingly within.
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:18:42
that will certainly be part of the work of Mind, 19, this is there, you write to your referring to the number of sick days working for.
sorry incident, so I think this is probably an anomaly Max that cases isn't one long.
1 1 1 incidents had a lot of time generally speech and we don't tend to get that when incidents, but I think it's closer monitoring. It is to make sure that the data is right is the most important thing, and actually I've called this that data together for this annual report. One of the things I want to get better at doing this more frequently so that we can get on top of these issues and if there are any reasons why these incidents are happening more frequently or we track progress on that, and we note that things are
there is a high level for this quarter compared to last quarter. I'd like to report on those things that we're not waiting for the end of the year and presenting it to you
within a have not looked at it before, so it's an area I want to improve.
Cllr John Wing - 1:19:52
all other quick question and stress is that comment, and health and safety goes on with no inquiry haven't them off, because of stress at work is that it is certainly by the Council's not being health and safety as opposed with citizens in Tamworth, detailed work, pressure or whatever.
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:20:11
I think it could be, and it should be, and I've certainly would want to make sure that we're capturing those things, working with our HR team to make sure that any time off due to stress particulars were presented is captured in here.
I think there's a lot more, we can do to prove the reporting of this and are area that's under my currently mixed performance, so I'm very keen to sort of a line.
reporting of accidents incidents in health, rated information with our other performance reports as well, so it's it's something that I think we can improve on and I'm very happy to make sure that we do capture something on stress-related,
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:20:50
thank you any other comments or questions Councillor picture, just on
Cllr James Butcher - 1:20:57
that last point, Jonathan I think that you pick it up in paragraphs 6.3 point 3 of that about inclusion in future internal performance reporting with if there's this then connect with the KPIs that we received could we haven't got a KPI on all of the mountains and also with the intention that haven't meeting,
Mr Jonathan Hicks - 1:21:13
although currently, the definition of camping eyes are key, performance indicators that are tied to the corporate action plan form part of the corporate plan with no currently on, and no specific health and safety related ones are more, although we do monitor them internal as officers.
could I just had a quick look, you've got data breaches in the fourth line, I'm not sure that's in the Corporate Plan.
or the or the KPIs should be connected to one of the things in Morgan.
so it is difficult to plan, is ready for, spoke about what we're doing for the community settings to be very exciting for me, so I guess the question is how the most Members 80
he informed satisfied shows that both some internal performance measures
so, although I can't remember that in Hallmoss, normally at the moment, the we own report on the KPIs set records part for the Corporate Plan, however, I'm very happy to discuss options going forward in the future committee form about how performance information general was reported.
so that that Bill pretty keen as part of this shift in our in our, it is important that we have that opportunity to hold the organisation to account on behalf of the community around the school.
thank you for being any extra thing, I would say on that, once we do, we obviously have Finance and performance committee which considers our KPIs.
not specifically that's right now.
but we could do, I guess, because that's a sub-committee, welcome scrutiny said the one who or finance and performance, presumably Monsanto's Netherlands.
policemen so far, this is just not an individual which is helping us to understand how, if you control for these purposes.
would you like to come back, I'm I'm an inclusive.
Microphone C - 1:23:19
Mrs Amandeep Khroud - 1:23:22
high ball stop recipe rejection, the point that Councillor walls about stress and stress management and how the organisation deals with that by buildings or capsule that evening's report is part of the personnel reporting.
obviously, I'm very, very happy to check that we've been shunted HR officer, but I believe that it became so that does come before members may not come before this Committee that certainly does before personnel, and as many as you you can access most report.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:23:57
Microphone C - 1:23:58
Chris Dowling, thank you Chair, I think, more border question in terms of how to seek assurance on Wednesday, many test in the induction training, we might remember the three lines of defence.
and the first line of defence cuts, everything that a Councillor, Giles within systems, to build in the controls on a daily basis, the things that business as usual basis, good things, we will do to keep our systems on track. The second line of defence as the kind of things we're hearing about the performance reporting, the complaints management, all the various sources, the monthly reconciliation, all of the controls, ensuring that the first line of defence is 13 46 bits and then the third line of the premises, the internal audit seal, having a report on health and safety to tell you how burglary and rather than necessarily wellbeing, 44, commitment to seek information Mark, and that's probably a good example of that and then, of course, wrapped around those three lines of defence is how it then. Reports up to 2 Branch was to to the Audit Committee and the regulators and officer in order to deliver on that. I might put that together for the minutes again. If that's useful, but in terms of do we have an indicator on everything every function and will be somewhere within the first line of defence in the second line of fencing along in the third line of defence, telling you whether they are working closely with, say that house,
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:25:17
any other comments or questions no, so are we happy to receive and note the report, and could I have a proposer Councillor ring-fencing any secondary Councillor Lockwood submitting agreed?

12 Annual Governance Statement

a great that's unanimous, thank you, and we go to the final item 10, which is Amerdeep we are taking this, it's the annual governance statement 23 24, thank you.
Mrs Amandeep Khroud - 1:25:41
thank you, Chair, members, before he is the annual Governance and Statement 23 24 under the accounts and Audit Regulations 245 local Hawkins, or quite would use no new governance statement this report describes the process is followed and seeks approval for the governance statement for the year 23 24, the recommendations that before you on page 100 pounds 65 paragraph 1 point
one.
obviously explains that the corporate documents and a variety of people have been involved in producing these documents, such as the Chief Exec Director Director Assistant Directors, Chief officers, Chief financial Officer monitoring officer, Emma was responsible for providing assurance, such as internal audit,
the legislative liquidity requirements, sorry, I've got said at work today, are set out in paragraph 2.1 of your report, which basically explained the need for the supply, your comments and statement.
as part of the review of the council's governance arrangements, a number of areas of development that have been identified and problem-solve through the action plan for 2024 25 and found at Appendix 1, the action plan for 23 24 have also been reviewed on progress against some of the 12 forms Appendix II.
the any government statement in itself can be found on page 171 point was very happy to answer any questions and I'd be grateful if members will consider the recommendations has been pages 165,000.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:27:24
High dramedy, any comments or questions for the cattle committal.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:27:29
as literature.
Cllr James Butcher - 1:27:34
more certainly this is on page 1 1 5
corporate requesting to rebalancing, got review, effectiveness and appropriate. I was just about the language listening, what we'd consider our overview and scrutiny considered and on performance sincerely, and I suppose my question saying, how do we know that consideration has contributed to a shift, there will change anything or is considering in itself doesn't seem to me to be much, although demonstrations with vaccine of unless we can share with our consideration is now being small differences and I'm not sure harm on the trampoline
10 raising issues and questions in the amendment is actually making a difference to them.
Mrs Amandeep Khroud - 1:28:22
we have Councillor to varying an interesting question and a very good question but, as you say quite a difficult question to answer.
reports are presented and two members and for their input into those strategic direction and for your comments and reviews, they are all taken into account, stating back by officers
and
I can assure him we certainly I've seen in practice when members sorry than officers happy feedback following meetings in Switzerland ignored, it is taken into account and it is implemented
but I guess, for the purposes of this meeting, I think the question you're asking of how did you know that it's mainly commented?
and that's quite difficult to answer for the purposes of this meeting, but of course it if it is open to all members, not just the results as Chairman Vice Chair before members to contact offices and to ask questions so she if you're not sure if you feel we haven't seen progress
you're very welcome to contact officers was I,
happy to assist the not to encourage living.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:29:42
any other comments or questions sorry.
Microphone A - 1:29:45
thank you Chair apply to direct your attention to page 1 9 2, Paul 8.6 I think the narrow the wording there in that paragraph just needs to be revisited because it talks about a final opinion being presented in May, pay point 8.6 under the external audit section, so it talks about a final opinion being presented, but that hasn't been presented or maybe change that to draft, and then it is confirmed that the Council has received.
an unqualified audit opinion that's not the case yet, so I think an unqualified audit opinion is proposed, but the final bit where it says final details and sign of arrangements are being concluded, that's correct, so I think it's just about being clear about a draft opinion and a proposed on an unqualified opinion.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:30:40
thank you, thank you for pointing that out.
Cllr Liz McShane - 1:30:46
any other comments or questions on this item.
no, in that case, are we happy to accept the recommendations, and so can I have a proposal, please, once deliberate during the seconder Councillor ring roughly?
security happy to agree this agreed. That's unanimous
that's the end of the meeting, thank you very much for your contributions,