Agenda item

To consider the Audit, Governance and Standards Committee’s Action List and Work Programme.

(Action List, Action List Update Sheet and Work Programme attached)

Action List

i)            Ref 1 – Statement of Accounts 2014/15 – Inventories

It was noted that Mr Jones, Independent Member, was due to meet with the relevant service managers the following week to discuss inventories.

Action: item to remain on Action List as Mr Jones to report back to Committee at July meeting.

ii)           Ref 2 – Treasury Management – Liquidity Risk

Mr Jones stated that he could only see details of borrowing in the response provided by Officers, when he had also requested details of both cash flow forecast and cash flow output, as detailed in the Action List.  Officers stated that they had been unsure as to exactly what was required in this regard and agreed to provide the relevant information.

Action: item to remain on Action List until Officers have provided all required information.

iii)          Ref 2 – Benchmark borrowing yield

Mr Jones commented that he felt it was a good idea for a benchmark to be provided against other clients and requested that this information be presented to Members, together with the criteria to be met in this regard.  Officers advised that they were working with Arlingclose Limited on this and that the Council did not have any investments as at 31st March.  There would hopefully be some investments during the next quarter.  Officers stated that the requested benchmark data could be reported to Members and that this information would need to be confidential.

Action: item to remain on Action List until Officers have referred benchmark data to Committee.

iv)         Ref 4 – Internal Audit – Draft Audit Plan 2016-17

Action: remove from Action List as required action completed.

v)          Ref 5 – Debt Recovery Update – Quarters 1 and 2 2015/16

Whilst it was noted that Officers had emailed Members with the requested write-off data immediately after the last meeting, Mr Jones requested that some context be given to the figures provided.  This information should possibly include details of the whole of the Council’s debt (for debts over 30 days where no prior agreement/arrangement was in place), together with debt comparisons against similar sized authorities. 

Action: item to remain on Action List until Officers have provided additional information.

vi)         Ref 6 – Future Reports to Committee / Work Programme updates

Action: remove from Action List as for information only.

Work Programme

Members noted the Statement of Accounts information detailed on the first page of the Work Programme and that, as in recent years, details of the draft accounts would be sent to Committee members once these had been lodged with the external auditors.  It was anticipated that Members would receive this information on 3rd July 2016.  This would allow Members time to look at these and to raise any queries with Officers prior to approval of the final Statement at the 22nd September meeting.  An Officer Briefing on the Statement of Accounts was also scheduled to take place on 8th September to assist with any Member queries in this regard.  

RESOLVED that

subject to the comments detailed in the preamble above, the Committee’s Action List and Work Programme be noted and the amendments and updates highlighted be agreed.