Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor Roe.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interest, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

Members were requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interests and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any item on the agenda and to withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time.

To approve as a correct record and the Chair to sign the Minutes of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee held on 11 September 2019.

RESOLVED – That the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee held on 11 September 2019 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Verbal update in relation to ICT provision and charging

Councillor Nick Whitehead, and the Joint Head of Partnerships and Transformation was present at the meeting to discuss ICT arrangements.

The Head of Partnerships and Transformation updated the Committee with regard to charging arrangements for the joint ICT Service. It comprised of three participating authorities (North East Derbyshire District Council, Bolsover District Council, and Derbyshire Dales District Council) and had the advantage of pooling resources and knowledge and reducing costs. 

Members noted that significant savings had been made on procurement and licenses, and that the Authority had benefited from such a partnership. The Committee agreed that it was vital the Council continued to get good value for money out of the arrangements.

On discussing information flow between the ICT Joint Committee and the Council it had become apparent that there were no formal reporting channels in place. The Committee recommended that Cllr Tait and Cllr Whitehead arrange to meet with the Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Leisure to establish a protocol for reporting in the future.

The Chair raised concerns about the ICT charging arrangements with Rykneld Homes Ltd and the current split between the two organisations. The Head of Finance and Resources updated the Committee with regards to that and advised that a housing review was currently underway which would provide an opportunity to review charging arrangements between the two organisations. The Committee asked that this specific issue be addressed as part of the review and reported back to the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED –

(1)       That the Committee recommends reporting protocols be established between the Joint ICT Committee and the Council. Cllr Tait and Cllr Whitehead to meet with Portfolio Holder for Partnerships & Leisure to address this and report back to the Audit Committee.

(2)       The Committee requests that the matter of ICT charges to Rykneld Homes be considered as part of the housing review and outcomes be reported back to the Audit Committee.

Report of the External Auditor (Mazars)

The Committee considered the progress report which had been prepared by Mazars. Members were asked to note and endorse the report.

RESOLVED – That the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee considers and notes the report from the Council’s External Auditors, Mazars.

The Internal Audit Consortium Manager presented a report that outlined progress made by the Audit Consortium in respect of the 2019/20 Internal Audit Plan.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Members were presented with a report that outlined a summary of the Internal Audit recommendations made and implemented for the financial years 2016/17 – 2019/20 (to date). The Committee was asked to note the contents of the report.

Members enquired about the Council’s money laundering procedures, and the effectiveness of such a policy in an age where the use of physical currency is on the decline. The officer stated that whilst it was true that increasing amounts of residents were using card payments, the policy was in place to ensure the Authority was compliant and able to effectively deal with money laundering.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Head of Finance and Resources and Section 151 Officer presented a report that provided the Committee with a summary of the budget monitoring for the second quarter of 2019/20 which would be presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 5 December 2019.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Head of Finance and Resources and Section 151 Officer presented a report that outlined a summary of the revised budgets which would be presented to Cabinet at its meeting on 5 December 2019.

The Committee discussed the general fund summary, VAT refunds on leisure and potential interest rate rises.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Members considered a report that updated the Committee on the current position regarding Risk Management and Partnership Arrangements and the Strategic Risk Register as at 30 September 2019. The Committee was asked to note the report.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

The Head of Finance and Resources and Section 151 Officer presented a report that outlined a summary of the corporate debt position as at 30 September 2019.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

Members were presented with a report that enabled the Committee to complete a self-assessment and evaluate the effectiveness of the Audit and Corporate

Governance Scrutiny Committee. The Committee was provided with information from CIPFA’s “Audit Committees practical guidance for Local Authorities and Police edition 2018.”

Members, alongside the Section 151 Officer, completed a set of ‘self-assessment’ questions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee.

RESOLVED –

1.              That the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee note the CIPFA guidance for Local Authority Audit Committees as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

2.              That the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee undertake the self-assessment in Appendix 2 of the report.

3.       That the completed self-assessment is reviewed and if necessary, an action plan be presented to a future meeting of the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee.

Report of the Information, Engagement and Performance Manager

The Committee received a report that outlined the Quarter 2 outturns for the Corporate Plan 2019-2020 targets.

RESOLVED – That progress against the Corporate Plan 2019-2020 targets be noted.

Report of the Joint Head of Corporate Governance and Monitoring Officer

Members were presented with a report that would enable the Committee to consider an appropriate Work Programme for the municipal year 2019/20.

The Committee noted that it was a rolling work programme for Members information, and that the 28 May 2020 meeting would fall outside of the current municipal year and would therefore be a new Committee.

RESOLVED – That the Committee notes and endorses the Audit and Corporate Governance Scrutiny Work Programme 2019/2020.

To consider any other items which the Chair is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

The Chair of the Committee informed Members that the proposed ‘Right to Buy’ Task and Finish Group would no longer be required as a similar project was being considered by Cabinet.