Venue: Port Talbot Civic Centre, Committee Rooms 1/2
Contact: Nicola Headon
No. | Item |
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Declarations of Interest Minutes: The
following Member made a declaration of interest at the commencement of the
meeting:- Cllr.S.Reynolds In relation to the Private Report of the Head of
Finance as she is Governor of YGG Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Chair of the Disciplinary
Committee. |
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Minutes of the Previous Meeting PDF 76 KB Minutes: RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the
meeting held on 5 April, be noted. |
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Audit Committee Update – Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council PDF 337 KB Minutes: The
Committee received the report of the Wales Audit Office on the Audit Committee
Update. Members
noted that the training workshop scheduled for 25 July had been postponed to
the meeting to be held on 19 September 2018. |
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Closure of Accounts 2017/2018 PDF 436 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Committee received the report
of the Director of Finance and Corporate Services in relation to the above and
noted that the Draft Statement of Accounts, which was included at Addendum to the
circulated report, was now subject to audit by the Wales Audit Office. The Statement of Accounts would then be
considered and signed by the Chair at the Special meeting of Committee on 25
July 2018, together with a presentation in relation to the Authority’s Risk
Register. Members
asked for details of the variance in relation to Management Support and in
particular the overspend and were advised that this was as a result of an
assumption made at the beginning of the financial year around the number of the
vacancies throughout the year. This was
used as a tool to manage the budget. Members
also asked for details of the Communities Resilience Fund, and noted that this
would be used to fund community groups who could provide support and services
to the public thereby lessening the burden on the Authority. Members also noted
that, over the next few months, reports on the Valleys’ Strategy and the Asset
Based Approach would be considered by Members. The
Head of Finance invited any new Members of the Audit Committee to meet with him
and/or the team regarding explanations on the closure of accounts process if
they so wished. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Annual Report 2017/18 PDF 257 KB Additional documents: Minutes: Committee
received the above report of the Head of Finance which detailed the work
carried out by the Audit Section during 2017/18. In order to monitor the performance of the
Section against planned work, Committee received, at Appendix 1, a copy of the
work programme. In particular Members
were asked to note the change in wording of the Assurance Statement, as
contained in the circulated report. Members
asked for feedback on the ‘Parent Pay’ initiative, including how many schools
were participating and were pleased to note that, where it had been introduced,
the scheme had been successful. The
numbers of schools using the system changed month on month and efficiency had
improved in those schools concerned. Members
noted details of the self-assessment carried out by Council Tax, the advice
being provided to the sundry debtors’ team on the new system development and
the creditor system checks. In relation
to the audit of disciplinary processes within the Authority, this would be
rolled forward to 2018/19. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Progress Report to 31 May 2018 PDF 152 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Members
received the Progress Report in relation to the work carried out by the Section
against the agreed Plan, to the 31 May 2018.
The report also included details of Post Audit Reviews and any staffing
issues within the Team. Members
then raised the following:- ·
An update in relation to the compliance of schools on DBS checks was
noted and that work was ongoing to raise awareness in the Authority’s schools,
in particular where staff changed schools etc.
This was a training issue for schools including school governors. ·
In relation to R50 it was noted
that this had been as a result of whistle blowing and that the employee involved
no longer worked for the Authority. ·
Members noted that a new post of Fraud Auditor would soon be advertised
and would be funded from a grant from the DWP.
The post would be responsible for the prevention and detection of
fraud/overpayments by proactively investigating all potential instances. The post holder would then recommend any
changes to systems or controls as appropriate. RESOLVED: That the report be noted. |
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Update Report on the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS) PDF 132 KB Additional documents:
Minutes: Committee
received the report in relation to the above and in particular the actions
taken to address the recommendations received as a result of the External
Assessment carried out on the internal audit service. In addition Members noted the amended
Internal Audit Charter, attached to the circulated report. RESOLVED: That the updated Internal
Audit Charter, attached to the circulated report, be approved. |
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Access to Meetings That
pursuant to Section 100A(4) & (5) of the Local Government Act 1972, the
public be excluded for the following items of business which involved the
likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Exempt Paragraphs 12 and
15 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the above Act. Minutes: RESOLVED: that pursuant to Section 100A(4) and (5) of the Local Government Act
1972, the public be excluded for the following items of business which involved
the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph14 of Part 4
of Schedule 12A to the above Act. |
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Internal Audit - Special Investigations Minutes: (Cllr. S. Reynolds re
affirmed her interest in this item and withdrew for the remainder of the
meeting). Members received an update on
all Special Investigation Audits undertaken in the last quarter. RESOLVED: that the report be noted. |