Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online via the Zoom app.

Contact: Amanda Coombes  01395 517543; email  acoombes@eastdevon.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

51.

Public speaking

Information on public speaking is available online

 

Minutes:

There were no members of the public registered to speak.

52.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 181 KB

Minutes for 24 September 2020

Minutes:

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 24 September 2020 were confirmed as a true record.

53.

Declarations on interest

Guidance is available online to Councillors and co-opted members on making declarations of interest

 

Minutes:

None

54.

Matters of urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

 

Minutes:

None

55.

Confidential/exempt item(s)

To agree any items to be dealt with after the public (including the Press) have been excluded. Thereare no itemswhich officersrecommendshould be dealtwithin thisway.

 

Minutes:

None

56.

Statement of Accounts 2019/20 including Annual Governance Statement pdf icon PDF 188 KB

Minutes:

The Strategic Lead Finance advised the committee that the council was likely to be required to restate some of the statements in the draft accounts before members could finally approve them. This related to a technical capital accounting issue in the method that the Major Repair Expenditure was written out of Housing Asset Values. The proposed treatment by the Auditors differed to current practice although this would have no implication on the asset values on the Balance Sheet, or the bottom line Income and Expenditure in terms of the General Fund Balance or the Housing Revenue Account or any usable reserves. He recommended the item be deferred until the audit was finalised as well as that of the letter of representation being signed off at the same time.  

 

RESOLVED:

that the adoption of the 2019/20 Statement of Accounts be deferred until the next Audit and Governance Committee meeting.

57.

Letter of representation pdf icon PDF 272 KB

Minutes:

The Strategic Lead Finance; as stated in the previous minute, suggested this item be deferred to the next committee meeting.

 

RESOLVED:

That the signing off of the letter of representation be deferred until the next Audit and
Governance Committee meeting.

58.

Audit finding report - Grant Thornton pdf icon PDF 538 KB

Minutes:

Jackson Murray from Grant Thornton summarised the key findings and other matters arising from the statutory audit and the preparation of the Council's financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2020. The audit work was completed remotely during July to November 2020 and he thanked Simon Davey and his team for embracing being electronically audited.

 

The anticipated audit report opinion would be unqualified but with an Emphasis of Matter paragraph in relation to material uncertainties with regards to the valuation of land and buildings and investment properties, this was a national issue related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Council followed national guidance from RICS in its valuations.

 

The Value for Money conclusion had been completed; the risk based review of the Council’s value for money arrangements. Grant Thornton concluded that East

Devon District Council had proper arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources. They therefore anticipated issuing an unqualified value for money conclusion.

 

RESOLVED:

That the report be received and noted.

 

 

 

59.

Redmond Review of Local Authority Financial Reporting and Audit pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Minutes:

The Strategic Lead Finance informed members that on 8 September 2020 the Government published the results of an independent review, led by Sir Tony Redmond, into the effectiveness of local authority financial reporting and audit. Local authority accounts were complex and the review highlights a number of potential weaknesses with the current local audit framework and makes recommendations to address these. They was a discussion concerning the introduction of an independent member to the committee.

 

RECOMMENDED to recommend to Council:

1.     to note the findings and recommendations of the Redmond Review, the implementation of some of these recommendations would require changes to primary legislation and revised Accounting Codes of Practice, and

2.     the appointment of a suitably qualified, independent member the Audit and Governance Committee to support elected representatives in scrutinising local authority finances.

60.

RIPA update

At the meeting of 18 January 2018, Members agreed to receive an update on

RIPA activity throughout the year (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act). The

RIPA Senior Responsible Officer advised that there had been no requests for

RIPA authorisation since the last committee.

 

Minutes:

At the meeting of 18 January 2018, Members agreed to receive an update on RIPA activity throughout the year (Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act). The RIPA Senior Responsible Officer advised that there had been no requests for RIPA authorisation since the last committee. Members asked for a simple written explanation of RIPA to be provided to the Committee at its next meeting this could then be used on the Council’s website to inform the public of the powers available and any recent use made of them; this being in line with some other authorities practice.

61.

Audit and Governance Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 149 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the contents of the Committee Forward Plan for 2020/21.

 

Items to be considered at the January committee included:

 

·        Statement of Accounts 2019/20 including Annual Governance Statement

·    Letter of representation

·    InternalAudit Activity –Quarter3 2020/21

·    External Audit Progress report

·       External Annual audit letter

·    RiskManagementreview– halfyearreview

·       Review of the Anti-Fraud Theft and Corruption Policy, Anti-Bribery Policy and Whistleblowing Policy

·       Review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance

·       Strata Annual Internal Audit report

·       RIPA update and policy review