Councillors and committees

Agenda item

RECOMMENDATIONS TRACKER

To review the committee’s recommendation tracker.

 

 

Minutes:

Declarations of interest:

None

 

Witnesses:

Kevin Kilburn, Deputy Chief Finance Officer

Sue Lewry-Jones, Chief Internal Auditor

 

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.    In relation to A28/14 (Code of Conduct training), Members noted that training was to be provided by the end of 2015.

2.    In relation to A14/15 (Babcock 4S), the committee noted that a number of Members had given their apologies for the informal meeting with Babcock 4S. 

3.    In relation to A18/15 (SEND Strategy), the Vice-Chairman agreed to report back on the outcome of the Education and Skills Board meeting of 21 October 2015.

4.    In relation to A20/15 (record keeping in Adult Social Care), the Chairman informed the committee that he had met with the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Wellbeing and Independence and discussed how the issue could be resolved.  He would be meeting with the Head of Resources in Adult Social Care and report back to the next meeting.

5.    In relation to A22/15 (Kier discounts), the Chief Internal Auditor said she had been informed that Kier would be making an interim payment of £1m by the end of the current week.  However, the final account for 2014/15 has not been agreed and the process to ensure discounts are collected in a timely manner has not yet been implemented. 

Members highlighted the high number of vacancies in the Highways and Transport service and suggested that this could be contributing to the delays. 

The Chairman of the committee suggested inviting officers from Highways to attend the next meeting to discuss the reasons for the delays in implementing an automated solution to recover discounts from Kier MG.  Members queried why the issue had not been picked up by the relevant Scrutiny Board and suggested that the Chairman of the Board also be invited to attend to discuss how the Board had addressed Internal Audit’s findings.

6.    In relation to A28/15 (collection fund deadlines), the Deputy Chief Finance Officer informed the committee that the letters had been sent.  Finance was following this up with supporting borough and district councils as they work towards the new earlier statutory deadlines for closing the accounts.  Members stated that they had discussed the issue with senior colleagues in the borough and district councils where it had not been recognised that they had not met deadlines.

7.    In relation to A49/14 (Teachers’ Pensions Agency), the Chairman and the Deputy Chief Finance Officer explained that it had been agreed to stop pursuing this issue.  The Teachers’ Pensions Agency had been informed and the external auditors had accepted the proposed resolution.

8.    In relation to A12/15 (governance of new companies), the Deputy Chief Finance Officer clarified that the same Finance officer attends each meeting of the Shareholder Board.

9.    In relation to A21/15 (foster carers), the Chief Internal Auditor confirmed that the audit was almost complete and would be reported back to the next meeting of the committee.  She agreed to find out the number of foster carers and report this back to committee.  The audit was not just focusing on financial issues but face to face meetings with foster carers were not part of the methodology.  The Chief Internal Auditor agreed to check the process whereby the service liaises with foster carers and report this back to committee.

 

Action/Further information to note:

None.

 

RESOLVED:

That the committee NOTES the report.

 

Committee next steps:

None.

Supporting documents: