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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
Resolved that: Sue Eriksen be appointed Vice-Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.
Resolved that: (a) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Annual Risk Management Progress report and updated Corporate Risk Register (including Appendices 1 and 2) progress to Cabinet for approval (b) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Risk Management Strategy/Policy (including Appendix 3) progress to Council for approval (c) The continued progress made in considering the Risk Management requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Socio-economic Duty be noted (d) The Lead Corporate Management Team Officers be invited to attend on a rolling programme basis to report on progress in managing their Corporate Risks (e) The proposals to continue to present highlight reports on the Corporate Risk Register to Cabinet be noted.
Resolved that: The Council’s response to Audit Wales’ request for information in respect of Management and Governance as set out in Appendices 1 to 3 be noted.
Resolved that: (a) The Provisional Statement of Accounts 2021/22 be noted (b) The draft Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22 be recommended for adoption by the Leader and Chief Executive.
Resolved that: The Annual Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2022/23 be approved.
Resolved that: The Regional Audit Service Charter for 2022/23 attached as Appendix A of the report be approved.
Resolved that: The Forward Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.
Resolved that: Martin Veale be appointed as Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: Sue Eriksen be appointed Vice-Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.
Resolved that: Sue Eriksen be appointed Vice-Chair of the Governance and Audit Committee.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor B Carter.
No Declarations of Interest were made.
Decision as recorded
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Resolved that: (a) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Annual Risk Management Progress report and updated Corporate Risk Register (including Appendices 1 and 2) progress to Cabinet for approval (b) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Risk Management Strategy/Policy (including Appendix 3) progress to Council for approval (c) The continued progress made in considering the Risk Management requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Socio-economic Duty be noted (d) The Lead Corporate Management Team Officers be invited to attend on a rolling programme basis to report on progress in managing their Corporate Risks (e) The proposals to continue to present highlight reports on the Corporate Risk Register to Cabinet be noted.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Annual Risk Management Progress Report and Updated Corporate Risk Register’ report. Andrew Mogford and Matthew Rivers then led the Committee through the report and responded in detail to the following questions raised on the report: · Appendix 1 – Risk Register – What is the process for reviewing the Register – Why are the risks where they are - Will there be a rolling progress of updates - Will there be a programme of training – Useful to include how Risks are treated and the response in light of the 4T’s principle · Section 9 – Typographic error – RTI not RTR · Risk Management Strategy – Where are we in this – Risk appetite – Is this actual or proposed – What is the standing – Is this a draft · Appendix 6 – Is it the intention to develop for all services in the council · What are the next steps · Explanation requested in relation to what is ALARM and SWAP · Has the opportunity of mentoring been taken up Resolved that: (a) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Annual Risk Management Progress report and updated Corporate Risk Register (including Appendices 1 and 2) progress to Cabinet for approval (b) The content of the report be noted and recommends the Risk Management Strategy/Policy (including Appendix 3) progress to Council for approval (c) The continued progress made in considering the Risk Management requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and the Socio-economic Duty be noted (d) The Lead Corporate Management Team Officers be invited to attend on a rolling programme basis to report on progress in managing their Corporate Risks (e) The proposals to continue to present highlight reports on the Corporate Risk Register to Cabinet be noted.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Annual Internal Audit Report 2021/22’. Mark Thomas then led the Committee through the report and responded in detail to the following questions raised on the report: · Further explanation requested in relation to the report on Fuel · What is the process if Managers do not accept the recommendations made · Further explanation requested in relation to Fraud / Counter Fraud – Are there regular updates on Fraud and what the Fraud is · How many days of service are available for Merthyr Tydfil The Chair then thanked Mark Thomas for the update to the Committee and advised that due consideration had been given by the Committee to the Annual Internal Audit report for the Financial Year 2021/22 including the Head of Audit’s Annual Opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness of the Council’s framework of Governance, Risk Management and internal control
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: The Council’s response to Audit Wales’ request for information in respect of Management and Governance as set out in Appendices 1 to 3 be noted.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Audit Enquiries to those Charged with Governance and Management 2021/22’ report. Steve Jones then led the Committee through the report and responded to the following question raised: · Has anything changed – Have the responses changed Resolved that: The Council’s response to Audit Wales’ request for information in respect of Management and Governance as set out in Appendices 1 to 3 be noted.
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: (a) The Provisional Statement of Accounts 2021/22 be noted (b) The draft Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22 be recommended for adoption by the Leader and Chief Executive.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Provisional Statement of Accounts including Draft Annual Governance Statement 2021 -22’ report. Steve Jones then led the Committee through the report and thanked Adele Lewis and the rest of the Accountancy Team for their hard work and responded in detail to the following questions raised on the report: · Budget Reserves · Explanation requested in relation to Non collection of Council Tax Thanks were also extended to Steve Jones and his staff for the report. Resolved that: (a) The Provisional Statement of Accounts 2021/22 be noted (b) The draft Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22 be recommended for adoption by the Leader and Chief Executive.
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: The Annual Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2022/23 be approved.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Annual Internal Audit Strategy and Plan 2022/23’ report. Lisa Cumpston then led the Committee through the report and responded in detail to the following questions raised on the report: · What is the process if any Audits are deferred – Is there a need to come back to Committee in relation to substitutions – Is there a rolling programme – Is there a cyclical review process Resolved that: The Annual Internal Audit Strategy and Plan for 2022/23 be approved.
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: The Regional Audit Service Charter for 2022/23 attached as Appendix A of the report be approved.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Regional Internal Audit Service Charter 2022/23’ report. Lisa Cumpston then led the Committee in detail through the report. Resolved that: The Regional Audit Service Charter for 2022/23 attached as Appendix A of the report be approved.
Decision as recorded
Resolved that: The Forward Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.
The Chair referred the Committee to the ‘Governance and Audit Committee Forward Work Programme 2022/23’ report. Mark Thomas then led the Committee in detail through the report. Resolved that: The Forward Work Programme for 2022/23 be approved.
The Chair referred to the items that had been debated and considered at the Meeting and stated that the Minutes of the Governance and Audit Committee Meetings should be an item on the agenda on the following Governance and Audit Committee Meeting for accuracy purposes. Mark Thomas advised that discussion would be undertaken with Democratic Services regarding this. The Chair also referred to an Action Plan for the Committee. Andrew Mogford then referred to Items 5 and 8 on the agenda and clarified to the Committee the Risk Management Scores that would be updated based on observations prior to submission to Cabinet.
The Chair advised that there was no other business deemed urgent.