Agenda item

To review the Committee’s recommendations tracker.

Witnesses:

David John, Audit Manager

Zak Hussain, Interim Strategic Finance Manager (Corporate)

Joss Butler, Committee Manager

Key points raised during the discussion:

1.     In regards to Action A2/19, the Audit Manager informed the Committee that the Children, Families & Learning Care Assessments follow-up audit was in its draft phase and officers hoped to circulate a final version by February or March 2020. Members noted that there had been improvements in the service and that the follow-up audit was expected to be positive. The Chairman asked that the action remain on the Actions Tracker.

2.     In regards to Action A8/19, the Chairman informed the Committee that the issue had been reported to the Select Committee Chairman’s Group and no concerns were raised. The Committee agreed the mark the action as completed.

3.     In regards to Action A11/19, the Interim Strategic Finance Manager informed Members that the risk review was completed in November 2019 and conducted by Gallagher Bassett. A final report was in the process of being collated and officers expected it to be part of the April 2020 Committee agenda. This would follow consideration by the Council’s Corporate Leadership Team.

4.     Members had a discussion on whether Local and Joint Committees considered and tracked risks as part of their decision making processes. It was stated that, although the decisions made at Local Committees were focussed on local issues, the execution of the decisions were mostly the County Council’s responsibility and therefore it should be the County Council’s responsibility to track risks. The Chairman agreed to speak to the Cabinet portfolio holder responsible for Local and Joint Committees to ensure Local Committees reviewed risks when appropriate.

5.     In regards to Action 13/19, the Audit Manager informed Members that the actions agreed from the last Pensions Administration audit were still not fully implemented due to the complexity and scale of the task.  As a result, rather than a follow-up audit being started in December as planned, it had been agreed with the service and with Finance that a position statement to assess the current position of implementation of agreed actions would provide appropriate assurance. This work will be started in January.

6.     In regards to Action A15/19, the Committee Manager highlighted that all Select Committee dates until May 2020 had been circulated and Members were asked to confirm which meetings they would review. Members agreed to confirm outside the meeting. In regards to previous Select Committee meetings, Members made the following comments:

a.     A Member recently attend a Resource & Performance Select Committee Task Group meeting and felt it was a positive. The Member highlighted that they felt Task Groups should encourage non-Task Group Members in attendance to interact with discussions.

b.     During a Select Committee Meeting, a Member highlighted that the Select Committee’s Chairman was unable to secure an appropriate number of Members to join a Task Group. Following on from this, Members of the Audit and Governance Committee sought confirmation on whether a non-Select Committee Member was able to join a Select Committee’s Task Group. The Committee Manager agreed to provide a response outside of the meeting.

Action/Further information to note:

A16/19 - The Chairman agreed to speak to the Cabinet portfolio holder responsible for Local and Joint Committees to ensure Local Committees reviewed risks when appropriate.

A17/19 – The Committee Manager to circulate confirmation on whether a non-Select Committee Member was able to join a Select Committee’s Task Group.

RESOLVED:

That the committee noted the report.