Audit Committee - 26 September 2017

NOTICE AND AGENDA

For a meeting to be held in the Penn Chamber, Rickmansworth, on Tuesday 26 September 2017 at 7.30pm.

Members of the Committee:-

Councillors:-      Sarah Nelmes (Chairman)      Steve Drury (Vice-Chairman)

Eric Bishop      Kemal Butt

Joan King      Joy Mann

Alex Michaels

Steven Halls, Chief Executive

18 September 2017

The Audit Committee welcomes contributions from members of the public to its discussion on agenda items. Contributions will be limited to one person speaking for and one against each item for not more than three minutes. Details of the procedure and the list for registering the wish to speak will be available for a short period before the meeting.

In accordance with The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 any matters considered under Part I business only of the meeting may be filmed, recorded, photographed, broadcast or reported via social media by any person.

Recording and reporting the Council’s meetings is subject to the law and it is the responsibility of those doing the recording and reporting to ensure compliance. This will include the Human Rights Act, the Data Protection Act and the laws of libel and defamation.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
2. MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 4 July 2017.

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1. NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency.  The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive any declarations of interest.

1. FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY RISKS

This report enables the Committee to monitor the Council’s financial and budgetary risks.

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1. ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT (AGS) – ACTION PLAN UPDATE

This report gives details of the progress resulting from the Annual Governance Statement.

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1. EXTERNAL AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THOSE CHARGED WITH GOVERNANCE (SEPTEMBER 2017) AND APPROVAL OF THE STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS 2016/17

This report allows the Committee to ask questions of the external auditor concerning his ‘Report to those charged with Governance’ and to approve the Statement of Accounts (including the Annual Governance Statement) for 2016/17.

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(NEW)

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1. INTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS REPORT 2016/17

This report gives details of the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the internal auditor.

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1. INTERNAL AUDIT - SIAS BOARD ANNUAL REPORT 2016/17

This report presents the annual SIAS Board report that was approved by the SIAS Board in June.

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1. STAFF TURNOVER, PART-TIME AND TEMPORARY STAFF

At the Audit Committee meeting on 4 July 2017, Members requested details of staff turnover, part-time and temporary staff. This report gives details of the level of staff turnover within the Council and provides detail on the number of roles being filled by temporary and interim staff at the Council.

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1. PROGRESS REPORT – NDR 2014/15 REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF A BUILDING INSPECTORS MODULE

At the Audit Committee meeting on 4 July 2017, the Audit Committee received a report on Internal Audit Recommendations Progress.

One of the resolutions was to bring a report on the 2014/15 audit recommendations for the implementation of a Building Inspectors Module for the Business Rate function of the Revenues Team and identify if this was still viable.

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1. OFFICE SERVICES 2016/17 - UPDATE

This report gives an update on the internal audit recommendations from the Office Services audit.

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1. UPDATE ON SURVEY OF TRDC TREE STOCK

An audit was undertaken on Three Rivers District Council (TRDC) tree surveying in 2014/15 and this focussed on reviewing how the tree surveying programme would minimise the potential for serious incidents involving the failure of Council owned trees. A number of auditor recommendations were made with varying deadlines.

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1. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS - UPDATE

This report gives an update on the appointment of the Council’s external auditor from financial year 2018/19.

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1. COMMITTEE’S WORK PROGRAMME

To review and make necessary changes to the Audit Committee’s Work Programme.

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1. OTHER BUSINESS
2. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

If any confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional item(s) and a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under the respective paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

1. OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under item 3 above.

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