Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Diouf, Avis Murphy, Brown and Dyke.

That the minutes of the Standards and Audit Committee meeting held on 27 June, 2014 be approved as a true record.

The Head of Finance submitted a report on the Statement of Accounts for 2013/14, the ‘Letter of Representation’ and the External Auditor’s Annual Governance Report.

Ms. Sue Sunderland and Mr Lee Towers of KPMG attended the meeting to present the External Auditor’s Report to those Charged with Governance. 

The Council’s auditors were required to obtain written representations from management in respect of various matters relating to the accounts in the form of a letter of representation. Each year the appointed Auditor was required to “communicate audit matters to those charged with governance”.

The report gave details of the adjustments made to the accounts following the audit and included the Audit opinion and the value for money conclusion.

* RESOLVED:

The Head of Finance submitted a report for Members to consider the Annual Treasury Management Report for 2013/14 and the Treasury Management activities for the first five months of 2014/15.

The Committee was responsible for ensuring the effective scrutiny of the Council’s treasury management reports before they were considered by the full Council.  Three treasury reports were presented each financial year; the Strategy report before the start of the financial year, the annual report for the previous financial year and a mid-year review for the current year.

*RESOLVED -     

That Council be recommended to:

The Interim Head of Internal Consortium submitted a report summarising the Internal Audit reports issued for the period 7 June, 2014 to 5 September, 2014 in respect of reports issued relating to the 2014/15 internal audit plans.

*RESOLVED –

That the report be noted.

To move “That under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act".

RESOLVED –

That under Regulation 21(1)(b) of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2000, the 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 defined in Paragraphs 1 of Part I of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 – as they contained information relating to an individual.

The Monitoring Officer submitted a report to inform members about the recruitment process for Independent Persons, who are consulted during the councillor complaints process, and to seek approval for these appointments.

The applicants were interviewed by the Monitoring Officer and the Chair of the Standards and Audit Committee and both were recommended for appointment as Independent Persons.

Alternative options considered included only appointing one Independent Person, however appointing more than one would help prevent potential conflicts arising. Recruitment of additional Independent Persons was also discussed, but it was agreed that this could be considered again in the future if necessary.

* RESOLVED –

That it be recommended to Full Council that those applicants recommended by the Chair and Monitoring Officer be appointed as Independent Persons for the purpose of being consulted and giving their views on complaints about councillors.