Agenda and minutes

Audit and Governance Committee - Thursday, 17th November, 2022 2.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Blackdown House, Honiton

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

Note: This meeting will be live streamed on YouTube 

Media

Items
No. Item

14.

Public speaking

Information on public speaking is available online

 

Minutes:

Cllr Paul Millar ask Grant Thornton a question on purdah and how this was audited.

15.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 179 KB

Minutes for 28 July 2022

Minutes:

The minutes of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 28 July 2022 were confirmed as a true record.

16.

Declarations on interest

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

 

Minutes:

None

17.

Matters of urgency

Information on matters of urgency is available online

 

There is one late report at agenda item 12 - Review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance.

 

Minutes:

There was one late report which is recorded at Minute 24.

18.

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

19.

Internal Audit Plan Progress November 2022 (2022/23) - SWAP pdf icon PDF 267 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The report provided an update on the 2022/23 Internal Audit Plan as at end of October 2022.

 

RESOLVED:

that the progress made in delivery of the 2022/23 Internal Audit Plan be noted.

 

20.

EDDC Sector update - Grant Thornton pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Minutes:

The report provided the Committee with a summary of emerging national issues and developments that may be relevant to the council.

 

RESOLVED:

that the sector update be noted.

21.

EDDC Audit Plan 2021/22 - Grant Thornton pdf icon PDF 5 MB

Minutes:

The report provided an overview of the planned scope and timing of the statutory audit of the council for those charged with governance.

 

RESOLVED:

that the Audit Plan 2021/22 be noted.

22.

Partnership Review 2022 pdf icon PDF 437 KB

Minutes:

Partnership information for the 2021/22 financial year until March 2022 was supplied to allow the Committee to monitor the status of EDDC’s partnerships. This follows the year-end review of partnerships by responsible officers for 2021/22.

 

RESOLVED:

that the current status of EDDC’s partnerships following the full partnership review undertaken in July 2022 be noted. The Committee requested whether LED should be added to the partnership register be looked into and that the register show which Councillors oversee each partnership.

23.

STRATA ICT Audit 2021/22 -DAP pdf icon PDF 273 KB

Minutes:

Strata Service Solutions had three founding partners (The Partners), East Devon District Council (EDDC), Exeter City Council (ECC) and Teignbridge District Council (TDC). The creation of Strata in 2014 represented an innovative approach that had positioned the Partners well as many Councils around the country increasingly look to enter similar partnership arrangements.

 

RESOLVED:

that the Strata ICT Audit 2021/22 be noted. The Committee asked that SWAP and DAP discuss with each other whose responsibilities’ were whose to ensure there was complete internal audit coverage.

24.

Review of the Local Code of Corporate Governance pdf icon PDF 350 KB

Minutes:

The Strategic Lead Governance and Licensing & Monitoring Officer explained that the Council’s Code of Corporate Governance, which sets out the council’s overarching approach to its corporate governance arrangements was due for review. It was a requirement of the Constitution that Cabinet consult with Audit & Governance in relation to the approval, implementation and monitoring of the Code of Corporate Governance.

 

RESOLVED:

that the Committee recommend to Cabinet that the current Local Code of Corporate Governance should continue without amendment and be reviewed again in two years’ time, unless circumstances require an earlier review.

25.

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:

The RIPA Senior Responsible Officer advised that there had been no requests for RIPA authorisation since the last committee.

 

26.

Audit and Governance Forward Plan pdf icon PDF 154 KB

Minutes:

Members noted the contents of the Committee Forward Plan for 2022/23.

 

Items to be considered at the January 2023 committee included:

·        Internal Audit Activity – Quarter 3 2021/22

·        Audit Committee update

·        Audit Findings Report

·        Statement of Accounts including Governance Statement 2020/21

·        Risk Management review – half year review

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

·        RIPA update