Agenda for Audit Committee on Tuesday, 8 June 2021, 6.00pm

Agenda and decisions

Venue: Council Chamber, Daneshill House, Danestrete, Stevenage

Contact: Ian Gourlay (01438) 242703  Email: committees@stevenage.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Decision:

Apologies were received from Councillor John Gardner.

 

There were no declarations of interest.

2.

ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIR

To elect a Vice-Chair of the Audit Committee for the 2021/22 Municipal Year.

Decision:

It was proposed and seconded that Councillor John Gardner be appointed as a Vice-Chair for the Committee for the Municipal year 2021/22.

 

3.

MINUTES - 24 MARCH 2021 pdf icon PDF 228 KB

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 24 March 2021.

Decision:

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the Audit Committee meeting held on Wednesday 24 March 2021 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

 

4.

TERMS OF REFERENCE pdf icon PDF 116 KB

To note the Terms of Reference for the Committee, as agreed by the Annual Council meeting on 26 May 2021.

Decision:

The Committee noted the Terms of Reference.

 

5.

2019/20 EXTERNAL AUDIT OF SBC ACCOUNTS - PROGRESS

To receive a verbal update from Ernst & Young regarding progress on completion of the 2019/20 external audit of SBC Accounts.

Decision:

Robert Garnett from Ernest & Young (E&Y) provided an update to Members on the External Audit of accounts for 2019/2020. He advised Members that the Audit of accounts for 2019/20 had not been concluded yet. He explained that he was liaising closely with the Council officers to reach a conclusion.

 

He informed Members that there were several areas being reviewed, such as Asset Valuations, Capital and financial statements, and that it was a complicated matter.

 

Strategic Director (CF) explained that Covid-19 had impacted upon the service, however, progress had been made, and officers were working together with E&Y to bring this to a conclusion and present it to the Committee. 

 

It was RESOLVED:

 

That the verbal update on External Audit accounts for 2019/20 be noted.

 

6.

ANNUAL ASSURANCE STATEMENT AND ANNUAL REPORT 2020/21 pdf icon PDF 540 KB

To consider the Annual Assurance Statement and Internal Audit Annual Report 2020/21 prepared by SIAS.

Decision:

The SIAS Client Audit Manager updated Members on the Annual Assurance Statement and on the Internal Audit Annual Report for 2020/21. He advised Members that based on the internal audit work undertaken for 2020/21, the overall opinion on financial systems and non-financial systems was of satisfactory assurance.

 

He further explained about the targets set by the SIAS Board for the internal Audit performance 2020/21, which were largely met and were positive. 

 

The Committee was also briefed on the SIAS audit charter and card payment compliance.

 

It was RESOLVED: 

 

·       That the Annual Assurance Statement for the Internal Audit Annual Report for 2020/21 be noted.

·       That the result of the self-assessment required by the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards be noted.

·       That the SIAS Audit Charter be approved.

·       That the scope and resources for internal audit were not subject to inappropriate limitations in 2020/21.

7.

ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2020/21 AND LOCAL CODE OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE pdf icon PDF 163 KB

To consider the Annual Governance Statement 2020/21 and Local Code of Corporate Governance.

Additional documents:

Decision:

The Senior Performance and Resilience Officer presented Annual Governance Statement and Local Code of Corporate Governance for 2020/21. She advised Members on the content of the Annual Governance Statement for 2020/21 and on the changes to the Council’s Local Code of Corporate Governance. As a result of Covid-19, the timeline was extended for the publication of the draft Statement of Accounts and Annual Governance Statement for 2020/21. She explained that the Annual Governance Statement would now be published by the end of July, subject to any further changes and recommendations by the Committee. It would be approved by the Statement of Account Committee in due course.

 

She further explained that the Local Code of Corporate Governance had recently been reviewed and was not significantly changed, but there were a few changes summarised in the officer report.

 

It was RESOLVED:

 

·       That the changes to the Council’s Local Code of Corporate Governance be approved.

·       That the Annual Governance Statement be recommended by the Audit Committee to the Statement of Accounts Committee.

8.

URGENT PART I BUSINESS

To consider any Part I business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

Decision:

None.

9.

EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS

To consider the following motions –

 

1.          That under Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in Paragraphs 1 – 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to Information) (Variation) Order 2006.

 

2.          That Members consider the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determine whether or not maintaining the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighs the public interest in disclosure.

Decision:

It was RESOLVED:

 

1. That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as described in paragraphs 1-7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act as amended by Local Government (Access to information) (Variation) Order 2006.

 

2. That Members considered the reasons for the following reports being in Part II and determined that the exemption from disclosure of the information contained therein outweighed the public interest in disclosure.

 

 

10.

PART II MINUTES - AUDIT COMMITTEE - 24 MARCH 2021

To approve as a correct record the Part II Minutes of the meeting of the Audit Committee held on 24 March 2021.

Decision:

Noted.

11.

STRATEGIC RISK REGISTER

To note the latest Strategic Risk Register for Stevenage Borough Council and developments on risk management issues.

Decision:

The Senior Performance and Resilience Officer provided an update in relation to the Strategic Risk Register.

 

It was RESOLVED:

 

·       That the latest Strategic Risk Register be noted.

·       That the development on risk management issues be noted.

12.

URGENT PART II BUSINESS

To consider any Part II business accepted by the Chair as urgent.

Decision:

None.