Agenda and minutes
PDF 402 KBVenue: Surrey County Council, Woodhatch Place, 11 Cockshot Hill, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 8EF
Contact: Angela Guest Email: angela.guest@surreycc.gov.uk
Media
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND SUBSTITUTIONS
Additional documents: Minutes: There were none.
The Chairman gave thanks to the work of David Lewis the outgoing Chairman of Audit and Governance Committee, who had joined the Cabinet.
The Chairman welcomed Mark Sugden and Saj Hussain as new Members on the Committee.
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING [28 September 2022]
To agree the minutes as a true record of the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: The Minutes were approved as an accurate record of the previous meeting. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
All Members present are required to declare, at this point in the meeting or as soon as possible thereafter (i) Any disclosable pecuniary interests and / or (ii) Other interests arising under the Code of Conduct in respect of any item(s) of business being considered at this meeting NOTES: · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest · As well as an interest of the Member, this includes any interest, of which the Member is aware, that relates to the Member’s spouse or civil partner (or any person with whom the Member is living as a spouse or civil partner) · Members with a significant personal interest may participate in the discussion and vote on that matter unless that interest could be reasonably regarded as prejudicial. Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00pm four working days before the meeting (22 November 2022). 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting (21 November 2022). 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received.
Additional documents: Minutes: There were none. |
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RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER AND WORK PLAN
To review the Committee’s recommendations tracker and work plan. Additional documents: Minutes: Key points raised during the discussion:
Action/Further information to note: Committee Manager to update the workplan with 2023 committee dates.
RESOLVED: That the action tracker and workplan be noted.
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This report has been submitted to the Audit & Governance Committee to the progress against the main learning points from a Surrey County Council organisation resilience perspective to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Ian Good, Head of Emergency Management and Resilience Team Ashley Field, SLRF Business Support Team Lead
Key points raised during the discussion:
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: It is recommended that:
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INTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS - Q2
This progress report is to inform members of the work completed by Internal Audit between 1 July 2022 and 30 September 2022. Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Russell Banks, Chief Internal Auditor David John, Audit Manager Anna D’Alessandro, Director - Corporate Finance and Commercial
Key points raised during the discussion:
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
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HIGHWAY & TRANSPORT BUDGETS - FOLLOW UP REPORT
This report provides more in-depth information surrounding the governance and process for decision making for Highway budgets in the Capital Maintenance Programme (Horizon) and Integrated Transport Schemes (ITS).
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Richard Bolton, Assistant Director – Highways Operations & Infrastructure Amanda Richards, Assistant Director – Highways - Network & Asset Management Paul Millin, Assistant Director – Strategic Transport
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Assistant Director – Highways Operations & Infrastructure introduced the submitted report to provide more in-depth information surrounding the governance and process for decision making for Highway budgets in the Capital Maintenance Programme (Horizon) and Integrated Transport Schemes (ITS). He also detailed the flowcharts and information contained within the annexes to that report. 2. A Member asked about divisional Members getting information on defects within their divisions especially how and when these would be rectified. This information was not available to Members online and asked if the proposed new IT system would provide this. The Assistant Director – Highways - Network & Asset Management explained that currently, information was dealt with on a borough/district level but hoped that the new system could give more information on a divisional level. Members could also login to the “report it” page to find logged information on defects logged and fixed. 3. A Member asked for officers to review the current weekly communication to Members. It was not very helpful to use with residents as it just created more questions. She offered to speak with officers outside of the meeting regarding her views on this. 4. An issue was raised regarding Project Horizon and used an example to show that some items may be on the list for many years with no timelines and no indication of whether it will ever be done. Other Members confirmed that they too had issues with this. The Assistant Director – Highways - Network & Asset Management explained the process around Project Horizon and stated that if something was on the public map then it should be done within the next five years. It was recognised that communications are needed to improve understanding for residents. 5. A Member asked for information on quality audits of work undertaken and whether the new policy on the prioritisation of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) bids had been agreed and how Members could feed into that. The Assistant Director – Highways - Network & Asset Management explained that the Council had a highway laboratory and post work had a snagging process that the council undertook with contractors. New treatment processes could be audited over a five year period to check the suitability of treatments over time. It was further explained that all jobs are snagged and on average 10% of jobs would be audited by the laboratory and any problems identified would be addressed with the contractor. The Assistant Director – Highways Operations & Infrastructure assured the Member that he would have a more appropriate officer contact him regarding his questions around CIL. 6. There was some discussion around utility repairs and that utility companies should be held more accountable for the work they do. It was recognised that legislation was probably not strong enough. The Assistant Director – Highways - Network & Asset Management ... view the full minutes text for item 62/22 |
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ANNUAL COMPLAINTS PERFORMANCE REPORT
To give the Audit & Governance Committee an overview of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s annual letter for the year 2021/22 and an update on complaint handling across the council. Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Sarah Bogunovic, Head of Customer Strategy Jessica Brooke, Team Manager Customer Relations
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Head of Customer Strategy introduced a report that provided an overview of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s annual letter for the year 2021/22 and an update on complaint handling across the council. 2. In response to a Member query regarding complaints about highways it was explained that this report dealt with those complaints that led to the LGO which tended to be around Adults and Children. It was also confirmed that a learning review was undertaken after each complaint and that communication was key. 3. A Member pointed out that the council did fall down on communication which was poor and stated that the website was not easy to navigate. She also asked if there was a plan of action and any timelines around this. With regard to the website the Head of Customer Strategy explained the following: 4. In response to a Member query regarding how complaints were analysed by departments and whether there were targets for reducing the number of the complaints the Head of Customer Strategy explained that: 5. A Member queried the comparison made, in the submitted report, with Kent County Council and asked what they were doing differently. The Head of Customer Strategy undertook to investigate that and include it in the annual report when it comes to committee.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
At 12.27pm the Committee adjourned for a five-minute break.
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MID-YEAR REPORT - REVENUE EFFICIENCIES
This report provides an update on the County Council’s 2022/23 forecast revenue position as at 30 September 2022, specifically an update on progress in delivery of the revenue efficiencies included in the 2022/23 budget. Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Nikki O’Connor, Strategic Finance Business Partner
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Strategic Finance Business Partner introduced a report that provided an update on the Council’s 2022/23 forecast revenue position as at 30 September 2022, specifically an update on progress in delivery of the revenue efficiencies included in the 2022/23 budget. She highlighted that as part of the annual budget planning process, each Directorate had a financial envelope to work within to ensure affordability. Efficiencies were required to be identified each year to offset unavoidable pressures (including demand pressures, policy changes and inflation. £35.8m of efficiencies had been identified for 2022/23 and at the end of September £11m were flagged as unachievable. These related mainly to the Adult Social Care and Children, Families & Lifelong Learning Directorates.. 2. In response to questions the Strategic Finance Business Partner explained that: · within the £11m was £5.1m for home to school travel assistance · this financial year was particularly challenging due to the levels of inflation above what was assumed in the budget · Directorates that were forecasting an overspend for the financial year had been tasked to action in-year budget recovery plans to identify ways to offset the forecast overspends. · c£6m of Covid funding form priori years was currently held by the Council and would likely be utilised this financial year. · The use of corporate contingencies would only be considered towards the end of the financial year.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the progress as at 30 September 2022 on delivering the revenue efficiencies in the 2022/23 budget be noted.
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CAPITAL PROGRAMME GOVERNANCE
This report is to provide an overview of governance arrangements around the planning and development of the Council’s Capital Programme, the measures that are in place to monitor progress and the work undertaken to deliver continuous improvement to governance structures, processes and procedures.
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Nikki O’Connor, Strategic Finance Business Partner Anna D’Alessandro, Director - Corporate Finance and Commercial
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Strategic Finance Business Partner introduced a report that had been requested by the Committee and detailed the capital governance arrangements. 2. In response to a Member query regarding the size of the two capital programmes the Strategic Business Partner confirmed that the service-based capital programme over 5 years was £1.9 billion and that there was currently no additional planned spend in relation to the investment programme. 3. The Director for Corporate Finance and Commercial explained further how the capital budget was set out and explained that the investment programme was separate to that. She also confirmed that there was no new commercial investments proposed at this time.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
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TREASURY MANAGEMENT MID YEAR REPORT 2022/23
This report summarises the Council’s treasury management activity during the first half of 2022/23, as required to ensure compliance with CIPFA’s Code of Practice for Treasury Management.
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Rishi Sharma, Strategic Capital Accountant
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Strategic Capital Accountant summarised a report that set out the Council’s treasury management activity during the first half of 2022/23, as required to ensure compliance with CIPFA’s Code of Practice for Treasury Management. Highlights from the report included: · Annex 1 contained commentary from Arlingclose, the Council’s Treasury Management advisors, on the external context for Treasury Management activity and Annex 2 provided their economic outlook for the remainder of 2022/23 · Economic and political factors leading to high inflation · Bank rates now stood at 3% and was expected to rise further · Borrowing and investment activity · Treasury performance 2. A Member requested that in future the annexes be dated as to when they were produced.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the report be noted.
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ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT HALF YEAR UPDATE
This report provides an update on progress on the improvement areas identified in the 2021/22 Annual Governance Statement.
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Paul Evans, Chair of Governance Panel, Director of Law and Governance
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. The Director of Law and Governance introduced a report that was a six-month update on the Annual Governance Statement that was approved in June 2022. 2. The Committee were happy with the succinct statement in the report.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the Committee confirmed it was satisfied with the progress made so far.
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EXTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS REPORT 2021/22
The Statement of Accounts has been deferred and therefore this report provides an update by the Council’s External Auditor, Grant Thornton, on the status of the external audit for 2021/22.
Additional documents: Minutes: Speakers: Ciaran McLaughlin, Director - Internal Audit, Grant Thornton
Key points raised during the discussion: 1. A verbal update was given by Grant Thornton who explained that there were several reasons why the report was not ready including outstanding information from district and borough councils. The report was expected to be presented the January 2023 committee meeting. 2. Grant Thornton would be discussing with the Finance Team how things could be improved for next year.
Action/Further information to note: None.
RESOLVED: That the update be noted.
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DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of Audit & Governance Committee will be on 18 January 2023. Additional documents: Minutes: The date of the next meeting will be on 18 January 2023.
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