Agenda and minutes
Venue: Council House
Contact: Jamie Sheldon Email: jamie.sheldon@plymouth.gov.uk
No. | Item | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Declarations of Interest Members will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect of items on this Agenda. Minutes: There were no declarations of interest made by Members in accordance with the code of conduct. |
|||||||||||||||
To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 30 November 2020. Minutes: The minutes of 30 November 2020 were approved as an accurate record of the meeting. |
|||||||||||||||
Chair's Urgent Business To receive reports on business which, in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration. Minutes: There were no items of Chair’s Urgent Business. |
|||||||||||||||
Order of Business The Chair agreed to change the order of business to facilitate good meeting management. |
|||||||||||||||
External Audit Audit Progress Report Additional documents: Minutes: Geri Daly (Lead Auditor - Grant Thornton) presented the External Audit Progress Report to the Committee. Key points highlighted included:
The Committee queried the valuations of land and assets, specifically with regards to desktop reviews, and it was clarified that valuations had taken place and various assumptions had been made for desktop reviews. It was highlighted that the valuations in the report focused upon the 2019/20 financial year therefore the impact of the Covid19 pandemic was minimal – there would be more material uncertainty regarding land and assets in 2020/21. There was a focus on asset valuation in recent years however this was considered to be driven by the commercial sector.
Members noted the External Audit Progress Report.
|
|||||||||||||||
External Audit - 2019/20 Audit Plan - Update Additional documents: Minutes: Geri Daly (Grant Thornton) advised the Committee that the External Audit 2019/20 Audit Plan Update was required to be submitted to the Committee as a change had been made to the plan however this was covered above in minute 110 External Audit Progress Report.
Brendan Arnold (Service Director for Finance) took the opportunity to thank the external audit team for their hard work in undertaking the audit – this was echoed by Members of the Audit Committee.
|
|||||||||||||||
Internal Audit Plan 2021/22 PDF 154 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Brenda Davis (Audit Manager) presented the Internal Audit Plan 2021/22. Key points highlighted to the Committee included:
Key areas of questioning from Members included:
The Committee offered their thanks to Brenda Davis and her team for their hard work in robustly auditing cases of fraud.
Under this item Brendan Arnold (Service Director for Finance) advised Members that the audit activity in relation to grant payments would form part of the audit when the financial year closed in March 2021 – officers had already began to pull together papers linked to several grants in a user friendly format in order to assist external auditors undertake necessary risk assessments and checks in the future.
Members approved the Internal Audit Plan for 2021/22.
|
|||||||||||||||
Treasury Management Practices, Principles and Schedules 2021/22 PDF 691 KB Minutes: Chris Flower (Finance Business Partner for Capital and Treasury Management) presented the Treasury Management Practices, Principles and Schedules 2021/22 report. Members were advised that it was a requirement of the CIPFA code to present this report to the Audit & Governance Committee; this was a technical document in terms of the amount of detail included and covered cash-flow, forecasts, cash management, electronic banking, counter parties, dealing limits, anti-money laundering procedures and training qualifications. No revisions had been included in the report.
Members agreed to approve the Treasury Management Practices, Principles and Schedules for 2020/21 as set out in this report to ensure compliance with the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management.
|
|||||||||||||||
Additional documents:
Minutes: Phil Symons (Category Manager (Governance and System) and Councillor Penberthy (Cabinet Member Housing and Co-operative Development) presented the Purchasing Card update. Members were advised that the purchasing card policy had been submitted to the Audit and Governance Committee previously however now had been updated to ensure it was robust, specifically with regards to fraud and misuse. The document contained track changes which highlighted the amendments.
Key areas of questioning from Members included:
The committee approved the updated Purchasing Card Policy. |
|||||||||||||||
Internal Audit Report: Executive Office - Electoral Registration 2020/21 PDF 171 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Giles Perritt (Assistant Chief Executive), Craig Moodie (Senior Auditor) and Glenda Favor-Ankersen (Head of Electoral Services) presented the Internal Audit Report: Executive Office – Electoral Registration 2020/21 report.
Key points highlighted to Members included:
Members noted the update.
|
|||||||||||||||
Operational Risk & Opportunity Management Update Report PDF 177 KB Minutes: Rob Sowden (Senior Performance Advisor) presented the Operation Risk & Opportunity Management Update Report. Key points highlighted to Members included:
The committee noted and endorsed the current position with regard to the Operational Risk and Opportunity Management report. |
|||||||||||||||
Work Programme - verbal Minutes: Jamie Sheldon (Senior Governance Advisor) advised Members that next year’s work programme would contain standing items which were required to be carried forward, however Members were encouraged to contact the Chair or Lead Officer with any other additional items they would like to be considered.
Members noted the work programme.
Under this item Councillor Pete Smith proposed a vote of thanks from the Committee to Councillor Parker-Delaz-Ajete for her hard work in chairing the Audit and Governance Committee, as well as her work with Devon Audit Partnership.
The Chair thanked officers for their support over the year. |