Audit, Governance & Standards

30 July 2018

 

Audit, Governance & Standards Committee – Annual Report 2017/18

 

Final Decision-Maker

Audit, Governance & Standards Committee

Lead Head of Service/Lead Director

Rich Clarke – Head of Audit Partnership

Lead Officer and Report Author

Alison Blake – Audit Manager

Classification

Public

Wards affected

N/A

 

Executive Summary

 

The report outlines how the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee has effectively discharged its duties during 2017/18. The report provides assurance to the Council that important internal control, governance and risk management issues are being monitored and addressed by the Committee.

 

This report makes the following recommendations to this Committee:

 

1.   That the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report for 2017/18 is agreed.

2.   That the Chairman of the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee provides the report to a meeting of the full Council to demonstrate how the Committee has discharged its duties.

3.   That the Committee, subject to any comment or amendment, agrees the briefing sessions proposed in Appendix A.

 

 

 

Timetable

Meeting

Date

Audit, Governance & Standards Committee

30 July 2018

Council

26 September 2018



Audit, Governance & Standards Committee – Annual Report 2017/18

 

 

1.        INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

 

1.1     The Audit, Governance & Standards Committee is required to monitor audit activity (internal and external), review and comment on the effectiveness of the Council’s regulatory framework and review and approve the Council’s annual statements of accounts and scrutinise associated strategy and policy. This reports sets out how this has been achieved during 2017/18.

 

1.2     This is the third year that the Committee has reported its activity in this way since updating its Terms of Reference in 2014/15 to include Standards.

 

1.3     Since September 2015 the Committee has had a programme of development briefings designed to complement and provide insight into the types of issues the Committee consider.  Throughout 2017/18 a number of briefings were provided, as outlined in Appendix A.  This report proposes briefings for 2018/19 and includes a suggested timetable for the Committee to agree.

 

 

2.        AVAILABLE OPTIONS

 

2.1     The production and presentation of an annual report is required by the Committee’s terms of reference. Therefore no other alternative options can be recommended.

 

2.2     The Committee has previously requested and agreed to receive regular updates and briefings on pertinent issues relevant to the Committee’s terms of reference. This report provides an updated programme and therefore proposes no alternative option.

 

 

3.        PREFERRED OPTION AND REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

 

3.1     This report provides the Council with assurance that important governance, risk and standards issues are monitored and addressed.

 

3.2     Our recommendation is for the Committee to agree the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee Annual Report (Appendix A), subject to any comments and amendments. In accordance with the Terms of Reference, that the Chairman of the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee then provides the report to a meeting of full Council setting out how the committee has discharged its duties.

 

 

 

4.       RISK

4.1    There are no risk management implications identified with this decision.

 

5.       CONSULTATION RESULTS AND PREVIOUS COMMITTEE FEEDBACK

 

5.1     This report was compiled through consultation between Officers and the Chairman of the Audit, Governance & Standards Committee.

 

 

6.       NEXT STEPS: COMMUNICATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECISION

 

6.1     The report will be presented to Full Council in accordance with this Committee’s Terms of Reference.

 

 

7.       CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES AND IMPLICATIONS

 

 

Issue

Implications

Sign-off

Impact on Corporate Priorities

We do not expect the recommendations will by themselves materially affect achievement of corporate priorities.

Alison Blake

Audit Manager

Risk Management

The report introduces no risks that require separate description in the Council’s risk registers, nor materially impacts any currently described.

Alison Blake

Audit Manager

Financial

The proposals have no direct financial implications.  The work of the Audit Governance and Standards Committee contributes towards strong financial governance in the Council.

Section 151 Officer & Finance Team

Staffing

We will deliver the recommendations with our current staffing.

Alison Blake

Audit Manager

Legal

There are no legal or statutory implications with this proposal.

Legal Team

Privacy and Data Protection

There are no privacy and data protection implications with this proposal.

Legal Team

Equalities

This report does not describe circumstances which require an Equality Impact Needs Assessment.

Policy & Information Manager

Crime and Disorder

There are no crime and disorder implications for this report.

Alison Blake

Audit Manager

Procurement

There are no procurement implications for this report.

Head of Service & Section 151 Officer

 

8.        REPORT APPENDICES

 

The following documents are to be published with this report and form part of the report:

·         Appendix A: Audit, Governance & Standards Committee - Annual Report 2017/18

 

 

9.        BACKGROUND PAPERS

 

None