Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Betty Mclatchy, Karen Richardson and Paula Wade. 

Any Member who is substituting for another Member should so indicate, together with the name of the relevant absent Member.

There were no substitutes at the meeting.

Members of the public are invited to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration relating to items to be discussed in Part 1 of the agenda only.

Public participation had been included within the previous informal discussions and there had been no questions/statements from members of the public.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2015 (copy attached).

The minutes of the meeting held on 29 January 2015, were accepted by the Committee as an accurate record and signed by the Chairman.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/006

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/006)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/006.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

With the vote being unanimous, it was

          RESOLVED: That:

(1)        The Internal Audit Plan for 2015-2016, attached as Appendix C to Report PAS/SE/15/006, be approved.

(2)        The conclusion drawn in respect of the annual review of the effectiveness of internal audit, be endorsed.

(3)        The contents of the Annual Internal Audit Report for 2014-2015 and the Managing the Risk of Fraud, Theft and Corruption Report, as set out in Appendices A and D to Report PAS/SE/15/006, be noted.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/007

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/007)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/007.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/008

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/008)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/008.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the performance against the Key Performance Indicators for Quarter 4, 2014-2015, subject to a future report being presented to the Committee on WS/HOU009 – Private sector tenancies made available through West Suffolk Lettings Partnership.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/009

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/009)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/009.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report subject to the parallel running of the current performance reporting system and the proposed balanced scorecard.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/010

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/010)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/010.

Members had scrutinised the report in detail and had asked a number of questions to which responses were duly provided.

The Committee had requested that a written response be provided on Risk (WS12) on the types of engagement undertaken with employers, and suggested that Risk (WS21) – Safeguarding Children - that reference to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) be included as a preventative action.  

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report, subject to the above comments made.  

Report No: PAS/SE/15/011

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/011)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/011.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/012

(For reference purposes, Forest Heath District Council’s Report Number is PAS/FH/15/012)

Further to the joint informal discussions held prior to the meeting with Forest Heath District Council’s Performance and Audit Scrutiny Committee, the Committee formally considered Report PAS/SE/15/012.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the work programme for 2015, subject to the balanced scorecard and a future report on the future of the West Suffolk Lettings Partnership being included.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/013

The Committee received Report No: PAS/SE/15/013, which updated Members on the outcome of the annual audit of grant claims by Ernst and Young (EY), as detailed in their Annual Certification Report for 2013-2014, attached as Appendix A.

Melanie Richardson (External Audit Manager) from EY presented this report, which summarised the results of the certification work which had been undertaken as part of the annual audit of grant claims to government departments.  The report included key messages arising from the assessment of the arrangements for preparing claims and returns and information on claims that were qualified.  She drew relevant details from the report to Members’ attention, and explained the one claim relating to the Housing Benefits Subsidy Claim.

Members considered the report and there being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/014

The Committee received Report No: PAS/SE/15/014, which set out how EY intended to carry out their responsibilities as the Council’s external auditors (Appendix A).  The purpose of the report was to provide the Committee with a basis to review EY’s proposed audit approach and scope for the 2014-2015 audit along with the planned fees to complete the work.  The report also provided the Committee with a basis to review the 2015-2016 indicative fees (Appendix B).

Melanie Richardson (External Audit Manager) from EY presented this report, which summarised EY’s assessment of the key risks which drive the development of an effective audit of the Council, and outlined their planned audit strategy in response to those risks.  Officers would be working with EY over the coming months to ensure that these risks were managed and where possible, come to an agreement over the treatment prior to the issuing of the Annual Governance Report and Audit Opinion, due to be issued by EY by September 2015.  She also drew Member’s attention to the Financial Statement Risks; the value for money conclusion; and the indicative audit free for 2015-2016 and how the scale fee was based.

Members asked questions on a number of elements of the report, to which Melanie Richardson duly responded.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the contents of the report.

Report No: PAS/SE/15/015

The Committee received Report No: PAS/SE/15/015, which updated members on the 2014-2015 outturn revenue and capital position.   Attached at Appendix A to the report was the revenue outturn position as at 31 March 2015, which currently showed an overall underspend of £109,000.  An analysis of revenue variances for 2014-2015 was attached as Appendix B

         Attached at Appendix C was the Council’s capital outturn position for the year 2014-2015 which showed a net underspend of £3,735,000.  This predominately related to the timing of capital project. 

         Appendix D to the report set out a summary of the earmarked reserves for the year 2014-2015.  As at 31 March 2015 the balance of the Council’s reserves was £13,383,000.

The Committee then scrutinised the report in detail and asked a number of questions to which officers duly responded.  In particular officers agreed to provide Members with written responses to the following questions raised:

1)   Appendix B (2021) – Abbey Gardens – To provide an update on projects to upgrade the tennis courts which were currently unusable. 

2)   Appendix B (2031/2032) – Moyse’s Hall Museum and West Stow Country Park- To provide information on the reasons for the overspend.

3)   Appendix C – Bury Town Football Relocation Scheme – To provide an update on the Capital Project.      

       There being no decision required, the Committee noted the 2014-2015 Outturn revenue and capital outturn positions as set out in Appendices A and C to Report No PAS/SE/15/015. 

Report No: PAS/SE/15/016

The Committee received Report No PAS/SE/15/016 which set out a complaint which had been referred to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) and who had upheld the complaint.  The Ombudsman’s final decision was set out in Appendix 1 to the report.

There being no decision required, the Committee noted the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) decision and the payment of the recommended compensation of £100.