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Contact: Lynn Derbyshire on 0151 511 7975 or e-mail lynn.derbyshire@halton.gov.uk
No. | Item |
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Minutes Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting held on 25 February 2015 were taken as read and signed as a correct record. |
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Efficiency Programme update PDF 32 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and
Resources, which gave Members an update on the progress made to date on the
Efficiency Programme and as set out in Appendix 1 to the report. The Board noted the progress in relation to the review of:- ·
Library
Services (Wave 5); ·
Learning
& Achievement (Wave 5); ·
Halton
Supported Housing Network (Wave 5); ·
Supplier
Relationship (Wave 5); ·
Highway
Services (Wave 5); and ·
Premium
Pay, use of Agency Workers and use of Casual Staff (Wave 6). The Board noted that the Library Service Review had been successfully completed;
the service would be monitored until October 2015 and an evaluation would also be
undertaken to ensure the model was robust and efficient. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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2013-16 Procurement Strategy Update PDF 69 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources which provided Members with an update regarding progress with the Council’s Procurement Strategy 2013-16 targets and performance measures. The Board noted the progress against key measures within the Strategy, set out in Appendix 1 to the report. The Board was advised that for the remaining duration of the Strategy, the established commercial approach to procurement would continue and the Procurement Division would continue to respond to opportunities to work collaboratively with other organisations to promote and embed the principles of efficient commercial procurement. The Board congratulated Officers on the excellent work that had been undertaken on the Social Value Procurement Framework and noted the benefits it provided to the community. The Board noted the increase in the Local SME Registration. However, the Board also noted that there had been a reduction in the number of National SME’s and discussed the possible reasons for this reduction. RESOLVED: That the report and position statement be noted. |
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2014/15 Statement of Accounts Update PDF 40 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which gave Members an update on the timetable of completing the 2014/15 Statement of Accounts, to review the changes to the accounting policies and to consider the key events that would have significant impact on the financial statements for 2014/15. The Board was advised that the Statement of
Accounts presented the overall financial position of the Council as at 31st
March 2015, which should be prepared to present a true and fair view of the
financial statements of the Council. The accounts had been prepared in
accordance with the Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting in the
United Kingdom 2014/15, also known as The Code. This was updated annually and
specified the accounting principles and practices required to prepare a
Statement of Accounts. The Board noted the number of changes that
had been made to the draft accounting policies from those which had been included
in the 2013/14 Statement of Accounts and the events which would have a
significant impact on the statements for 2014/15. The Board was further advised that the draft
2014/15 Statement of Accounts would be certified by the Operational Director –
Finance on 30 June 2015 prior to them being passed to the external auditor,
Grant Thornton LLP. The final version was required to be approved by the
Business Efficiency Board and published by 30 September 2015. It was reported that the Statement of
Accounts would be available for public inspection from 01 July 2015 to 28 July
2015 when any person may inspect and make copies of them. From 29 July 2015
until the conclusion of the audit a local government elector for the Council or
his/her representative may ask the auditor questions about the accounts. Furthermore, it was reported that the auditor
was required by the Audit Commission Act 1998 to report on the Statement of
Accounts before 30 September 2015. The Audit Findings report would be
considered by the Business Efficiency Board on 23 September 2015, together with
any amendments to the draft Statement of Accounts. The Board noted that the Government were
currently consulting on Business rates and that the Council would be providing
a response to the Council before the deadline in July 2015. The Board also noted that, a proposal in the
report states that appeals would only be backdated to 31 March 2015, which if
successful, would be financially beneficial to the Council. RESOLVED: That the report and comments raised
be noted. |
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Strategic Risk Register 2015/16 PDF 28 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which sought comments on a revised Strategic Register that had been developed for 2015/16 Municipal Year. The Board was advised that in accordance with the Council’s Risk Management
Policy (previously approved by this Board) an annual review of the Council’s
Corporate Risk Register was required.
This had been undertaken by the Council’s Management Team and was
presented to the Board for Members consideration. In the revised register, the Board noted the revised scores which
related to the Council’s ability to continue to deliver it’s services to the required or expected level. The Board was further advised that since the previous Coalition
Government’s austerity measures had commenced, the Council had been working
hard to mitigate the effects of those budget reductions on the community by: ·
delivery
on its Efficiency Programme; ·
focusing
on its Procurement process; ·
working
with and sharing services with other authorities; ·
pooling
budgets; ·
reducing
the number of managers; ·
reducing
staff numbers and terms and conditions; and ·
increasing
income. In conclusion, it was reported that the Council’s ability to reduce the
ability to reduce the impact of budget reductions on the quality of frontline
services through these initiatives was reaching its conclusion. Therefore, the scores in the risk register
which related to the impact of budget reductions do not show any significant
change after the mitigating actions have been taken. This demonstrated that there is a belief that
subsequent grant reductions would now be felt more acutely on the community and
the services it receives. However,
whilst every effort would continue to be made to protect those most vulnerable
in the community and those essential frontline services, given the magnitude of
the grant reductions and the aggregation of previous grant losses, this would
become more and more difficult to achieve. The Board discussed the Government’s summer budget due to take place on
9 July and the impact this could have on the Borough in respect of budgetary
cuts. The Board noted the serious challenges
facing the Council as a result of the cuts and the importance of ensuring that
residents in the Borough were fully aware of the situation. RESOLVED: That (1)
the
report and comments raised be noted; (2)
the
revised Strategic Risk Register 2015/16 be adopted; and (3)
a progress
report against the actions in the plan be presented to the Board in six months. |
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Internal Audit Annual Report 2014/15 PDF 384 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which informed Members that the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) required the Head of Internal Audit to deliver an annual audit opinion and report which could be used to inform the Annual Governance Statement. The annual report must provide: ·
A conclusion on the overall adequacy and
effectiveness of the organisation’s framework of governance, risk management
and control; ·
A summary of the work that supports the opinion;
· A statement on conformance with the PSIAS. The Board was advised that the
Accounts and Audit Regulations 2011 provided a requirement for local
authorities to conduct a review of the effectiveness of its internal audit at
least once each year. This review was intended to provide Members with a basis
for determining the extent to which reliance could be placed on the internal
audit opinion. The Board noted information set out in the report relating to:- · The Annual Opinion on the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control; · A summary of work supporting the Annual Opinion; · A Statement on conformance with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards; · The Internal Audit Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme; and · The Annual review of the effectiveness of internal audit; RESOLVED: That the Board notes and approves:- (1) the Head of Internal Audit’s opinion on the Council’s framework of governance, risk management and control; (2) the summary of work that supports the opinion; (3) the statement on conformance with Public Sector Internal Audit Standards; (4) the outcomes from the internal Audit Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme; and (5)
the findings of the
annual review of the effectiveness of internal audit. |
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External Audit Fee 2015-16 PDF 17 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of
the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources which provided Members with details of the
scale fee, set by the Audit Commission, for the 2014/15 external audit. The Board was advised that the Audit Commission published its work
programme and scale of fees at the end of March 2015. The letter attached to the report, set out
details of the audit fee for the Council along with the scope and timing of
external audit work and the team that would be working on the audit. RESOLVED: That the 2015/16 audit fee and the scope and timing of the planned external audit work be noted. |
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External Audit Plan PDF 124 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources which sought approval of the Members in respect of the Audit Plan proposed by Grant Thornton. The Board was advised that the attached report set out details of Grant Thornton’s strategy and plan to deliver the 2014/15 audit of the Council’s financial statements. It also provided details of their approach to the value for money conclusion. RESOLVED: That the External Audit Plan be approved. |
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External Audit Letter to those charged with Governance PDF 34 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which provided Members with a proposed response to the annual letter to the Board from Grant Thornton, the Council’s external auditors, regarding their year-end audit of accounts work. The Board was advised that International Auditing Standards required
the Council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, to raise
with those charged with governance (i.e. the Business Efficiency Board) matters
that may affect the Council’s financial statements and to document the Board’s
response. The Board was further advised that Appendix 1 to the report,
presented a proposed response to a number of questions contained in a letter
from Grant Thornton to the Chair of the Board. Grant Thornton attended the
meeting to discuss, if required, questions further with the Board. RESOLVED: That the proposed response to the Council’s external auditors shown in Appendix 1 to the report be approved. |
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Draft Annual Governance Statement 2014/15 PDF 585 KB Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Strategic Director, Policy and Resources, which enabled Members to consider and approve the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15. The Board was advised that Under
the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 the Council must produce an AGS which
must be approved by the resolution of a Committee or Members of the authority
meeting as a whole. The AGS must also be approved in advance of the Council
approving the statement of accounts. The Board was also advised that the
Council’s Constitution delegates the responsibility to review and approve the
AGS to the Business Efficiency Board. Once approved, the AGS is signed by the
Council Leader and Chief Executive and published on the Council’s website. The Board was further advised that the
AGS was intended to identify any areas where the Council’s governance
arrangements needed to be developed and to set out any action that was proposed
to strengthen those arrangements. The Board noted the information in respect of the 2014/15 Annual Governance Statement. RESOLVED: That (1) the draft Annual Governance Statement (AGS) be confirmed that it accurately reflects the corporate governance arrangements at the Council; (2) the action plan be endorsed; and (3) the draft Annual Governance Statement be approved. |
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External Audit Update Report PDF 136 KB Additional documents: Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance,
which provided an update from Grant Thornton (External Auditors) regarding the
following:- ·
the
progress made in delivering their responsibilities as the Council’s external
auditors; and ·
a summary of emerging national issues and
developments that may be relevant to the work of the Board. Ms Liz Temple-Murray from Grant Thornton presented the report and
various publications were circulated at the meeting, including details of
workshops for Members to attend. The Board was advised that a checklist had been established to aide
Members when considering the accounts at the end of June and it was agreed that
an electronic version would be circulated to Members of the Board. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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SCHEDULE 12A OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 1972 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT (ACCESS TO INFORMATION) ACT 1985 PART II In
this case the Board has a discretion to exclude the press and public and, in
view of the nature of the business to be transacted, it is RECOMMENDED
that under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, having been
satisfied that in all the circumstances of the case the public interest in
maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the
information, the press and 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 paragraphs 3 of Part 1 of
Schedule 12A to the Act. Minutes: The Board considered: 1)
Whether
Members of the press and public should be excluded from the meeting of the
Board during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with
Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that,
in view of the nature of the business to be considered, exempt information
would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph
3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972; and 2)
Whether
the disclosure of information was in the public interest, whether any relevant
exemptions were applicable and whether, when applying the public interest test
and exemptions, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed
that in disclosing the information. RESOLVED: That as, in all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed that in disclosing the information, members of the press and public be excluded from the meeting during consideration of the following item of business in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 because it was likely that, in view of the nature of the business, exempt information would be disclosed, being information defined in Section 100 (1) and paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. |
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Internal Audit Progress Report Minutes: The Board considered a report of the Operational Director, Finance, which provided Members with a summary of internal audit work completed since the last meeting of the Board. RESOLVED: That (1) The executive summaries of the internal audit reports be noted; and (2) the progress made in regard to the implementation of previous internal audit recommendations be noted. |