Agenda and minutes

Standards and Audit Committee - Wednesday, 11th September, 2024 2.00 pm

Contact: Frances Green  01246 959612

Items
No. Item

7.

Declarations of Members' and Officers' Interests relating to Items on the Agenda

Minutes:

No declarations of interest were received.

8.

Apologies for Absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Staton and Thornton. Councillors Sanderson and Tidd were absent.

 

Councillor Blank was welcomed as the new Chair of the Committee.

 

Gail Barnes was welcomed by the Committee, in her post as the Senior Auditor for the Internal Audit Consortium.

9.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 77 KB

Minutes:

RESOLVED –

 

That the Minutes of the meeting of the Standards and Audit Committee held on 12th June 2024 be approved as a correct record and be signed by the Chair.

10.

Review of the Internal Audit Charter Sept 24 pdf icon PDF 61 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of the Internal Audit Consortium submitted a report for Members’ consideration. The report detailed a review of the Internal Audit Charter. The Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) state that the Head of Internal Audit must periodically review the Internal Audit Charter and present it to the relevant Committee for approval.

 

The Public Sector Internal Audit Standards which took effect from 1 April 2013 require that the purpose, authority, and responsibility of internal audit must be formally defined in an Internal Audit Charter (shown at Appendix 1 of the Officer’s report). The Internal Audit Charter was last formally approved by the Standards & Audits Committee in September 2023. It was agreed that the Charter would be reviewed every year to ensure that it is kept up to date with CIPFA best practice.

 

It was noted that there have been no updates to the PSIAS since the last review of the Charter. The current Internal Audit Charter has been reviewed and it is felt that it is still fit for purpose.

 

New Global Internal Audit Standards were released by the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors on the 9th of January 2024. Work will be carried out during 2024/25 to assess the Consortium’s compliance with the Global Standards. CIPFA are currently consulting on the Global Standards applicability to the public sector and guidance is expected by the end of 2024 which may result in the PSIAS being updated. It is expected that at this point it will be necessary to review and update the Internal Audit Charter again to comply with the guidance issued/ revised PSIAS. Any changes will be brought back to this committee for approval.

 

*RESOLVED –

 

That the report be noted and agreed.

11.

Internal Audit Progress report Sept 24 pdf icon PDF 72 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of the Internal Audit Consortium submitted a report for Members consideration. The report detailed progress against the 2024/25 Internal Audit Plan and provided assurance on the governance, risk, and control processes in place in respect of the audits completed.

 

It was noted that since this committee had last met 5 reports have been issued, 2 with Substantial assurance, 1 with Reasonable assurance, and 2 with Limited assurance.

 

The Service Manager – Capital Works and Voids gave a verbal update to Members on the progress made against the Housing Voids Limited Assurance Report, and how the team would be working towards meeting all outstanding recommendations. It was noted that a tender has been put out for the completion of voids work and the monitoring and reporting of voids has been improved.

 

Members praised the work being undertaken by all involved and wished to receive an update detailing how recommendations have been met within the 2025-26 audit.

 

The Service Director – Leisure, Culture and Community Wellbeing gave a verbal update to Members on the Taxi Licensing Limited Assurance Report, and how the team would be working towards meeting all outstanding recommendations. It was reported that the Taxi Licensing Service have reviewed their procedures and worked with I.T to resolve the issues identified moving forward.

 

Members recognised the work being undertaken and praised the team for their openness with the audit process.

 

The progress on the 2024/25 internal audit plan (shown at Appendix 4 of the officer’s report) showed progress as expected. It was noted that the time gap between the previous Senior Auditor retiring and a new Senior Auditor starting will slow progress down.

 

 

*RESOLVED –

 

1.     That the report be noted.

 

2.     That an update be provided on the Housing Voids Limited Assurance report as part of the 2025/26 audit.

 

 

12.

Treasury Management Annual Report 23-24 pdf icon PDF 132 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Head of Finance and Accountancy presented a report for Members to consider the Annual Treasury Management Report for 2023/24 and the Treasury Management activities for the first four months of 2024/25.

 

The Council’s Treasury Management Strategy requires the full Council to receive three treasury reports each financial year; the Strategy report before the start of each financial year, an annual report for the previous financial year and a mid-year review for the current year.

 

The Annual Report for 2023/24 (attached at Appendix A of the Officer’s report) meets the requirements of both the CIPFA Code of Practice on Treasury Management and the CIPFA Prudential Code for Capital Finance in Local Authorities. The Council is required to comply with both Codes through Regulations issued under the Local Government Act 2003.

 

Members were advised that there would be training available later in the year from Arlingclose in respect of Treasury Management.

 

Members expressed their pleasure in hearing that all transactions undertaken complied with the relevant Codes of Conduct.

 

Members wished to thank the Group Financial Accountant, who had prepared the report, for all her work at Chesterfield Borough Council, and passed on their best wishes for her new role.

 

*RESOLVED –

 

That it be recommended to Full Council that:

 

1.   The outturn Prudential Indicators for 2023/24 be approved.

 

2.   The Treasury Management Stewardship Report for 2023/24 be approved.

 

3.   The Treasury Management position for the first four months of 2024/25 be noted.

 

 

13.

External Audit Progress Update (verbal report)

Minutes:

The Council’s external auditors, Mazars, presented a verbal report updating Members on the progress of the 2022/23 Audit.

 

Members were informed of the Government’s proposal to set a statutory backstop date to clear the backlog of unaudited accounts up-to-and-including financial year 2022/23. A clearer picture of what this means for the accounts at Chesterfield Borough Council would be brought to the next meeting of this Committee.

 

An update on the 2022/23 Audit and the Value for Money Commentary would be brought to the next meeting of this Committee.

 

*RESOLVED –

 

1.      That the report be noted.

 

2.      That a report be brought to the next committee on the progress of the 2022/23 audit and Value for Money Commentary.

 

3.      That an update be provided at the next committee on the Government’s backstop proposal.