Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this Agenda.

Councillor Sam Leaves declared a private interest relating to the CCG Integrated Fund item and any subsequent items that referred to the NHS, as she was employed by the NEW Devon Clinical Commissioning Group.

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2015.

The committee agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 September 2015 are confirmed as a correct record.

To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

With the permission of the Chair, the Head of Corporate Strategy advised that the committee would need to fill the remaining vacancy for the co-opted representative.  Work would commence on drafting an advertisement in the new year.

(In accordance with Section 100(B)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972, the Chair brought forward the above item for urgent consideration because of the need to inform Members).

Members will be provided with the Operational Risk and Opportunity Management – Update Report.

Mike Hocking (Head of Corporate Risk and Insurance) and Julie Hosking (Risk Management and Insurance Officer) presented the operational risk and opportunity management report which highlighted the following key areas –

The Committee noted and endorsed the current position with regard to the operational risk and opportunity management.

Members will be provided with the Annual Report on Treasury Management – Activities for 2015/16 (and Mid Year Report).

Chris Flower (Lead Accountant) presented the mid-year Treasury Management 2015/16 report which the Local Government Act 2003, required the Council to set out its Treasury Strategy for borrowing and to prepare an Annual Investment Strategy. The Council’s strategy for 2015/16 was approved by Full Council at its budget meeting on 10 February 2015.

The report highlighted the following key areas -

The main areas of questioning from Members related to the following –

Information on the LOBOs would be circulated to the members of the Audit Committee.

The committee agreed that approval of the Treasury Management Strategy and Annual Investment Strategy 2016/17 is delegated to the Head of Corporate Strategy in consultation with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Audit Committee to agree a final version.

The committee noted the mid-year treasury management 2015/16 report.

The committee further noted that the Treasury Management Strategy and Annual Investment Strategy 2016/17 would be submitted to Cabinet and Full Council for authorisations in February 2016.

Members will be provided with the Audit Committee Update.

David Bray (Grant Thornton) provided Members with the Audit Committee update which reported on the progress in delivering the external auditor’s responsibilities. The report also included a summary of emerging national issues and developments that might be relevant to the authority.

The following key areas were highlighted –

The committee noted the report.

Members will be provided with the Annual Audit Letter 2014/15.

David Bray (Grant Thornton) provided the Annual Audit Letter which summarised the key findings arising from the work that had been carried at Plymouth City Council for the year ended March 2015.

The key areas included –

The committee noted the report.

Members will be provided with the Certification Work Report 2014/15.

David Bray (Grant Thornton) provided the Annual Audit Letter which related to the certification of one claim/return for the financial year 2014/15 for Housing Benefit Subsidy return to the Department for Work and Pensions.

The Chair took this opportunity to thank officers from Grant Thornton for the work they had undertaken over the past seven years.

The committee noted the report.

Members will receive the External Audit Progress Report (BDO) – December 2015.

Greg Rubins (BDO) presented the external audit progress report (December 2015) which highlighted the following key areas –

The committee noted the report.

Members will be provided with the Internal Audit – Half Year Report.

David Curnow (Devon Audit Partnership) presented the Internal Audit half year report which provided the committee with a position statement on the audit work carried out since April 2015 and based on work performed to date during 2015/16. Internal Audit was able to provide reasonable assurance on the adequacy and effectiveness of the authority’s internal controls.  The following key issues were highlighted –

The main areas of questioning from Members related to the following –

The following information would be provided –

The committee agreed that the Assistant Director for Strategic co-operatiave Commissioning is invited to attend a future meeting of Audit Committee to provide an update on the domiciliary care overpayments issue.

The committee noted the report.

Members will receive reports on Plymouth City Council and the Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) on the Integrated Fund.

David Curnow (Devon Audit Partnership) presented the internal audit –integrated health and wellbeing joint assurance. The Northern, Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group (NEW Devon CCG) and Plymouth City Council (PCC) formed an integrated commissioning function on 1 April 2015 which brought together funds for 2015/16 of £460m, to be used to jointly commission health and wellbeing services in the locality.  The report highlights the following key areas –

The main area of questioning from Members related to the risk governance structure which included the integrated risk reporting structure.

The committee agreed that –

(Also present for this item Ben Chilcott, Ann Gunther, Guy Marshall, Craig McArdle, Robert Loader and Tara Westcott which represented CCG, PCC, KPMG Audit and Audit South West).

Members will have the opportunity to review their work plan for 2015/16.

The committee considered and noted its rolling work programme for 2015/16 (with the amendment to change the external auditor reports for March 2016 to BDO).

There were no items of exempt business.