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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 the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted.
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered whether the Annual Governance Statement (Appendix A) properly reflected governance within the council for publication with the council’s Statement of Accounts.
RESOLVED: - That the updated Governance and Audit Committee Programme be noted.
RESOLVED: The GAC Development Plan was acknowledged.
RESOLVED:- (i) That the Committee nominated one councillor to serve on the Governance and Audit Committee or the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee and one councillor to act as a substitute for that member. (ii) That the Committee decided to nominate a Lay member to the Governance and Audit Committee of the North Wales Corporate joint Committee.
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the information included with this report to determine that the Council’s complaint management was compliant with all requirements and is effective in addressing customer concerns
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW inspection report at Appendix A. As this report made no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but was reflection on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which required amendment.
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW Cefn Report at Appendix A. As the report makes no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but is reflecting on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which require amendment.
RESOLVED: - (i) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the content of the full Audit Wales report included as Appendix A. (ii) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the actions agreed by North Wales partners in response to this audit and the role that Wrexham Social Services had to play in these. These were included as Appendix B
RESOLVED: That the Audit Wales Work Programme and Timetable for Wrexham County Borough Council be noted.
RESOLVED: That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the processes in place to support the effective management of risks.
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the report and obtained satisfactory explanations regarding any areas of concern.
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee recommends that the Governance and Audit Committee’s Annual Report 2023-24 to go to Full Council.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Independent Councillors Becca Martin and Jerry Wellens.
A member pointed out that the minute’s state Councillor I. Williams declared an interest but stayed and voted, noting that since Councillor Williams was not on the committee, then the Councillor wouldn't have been able to vote. It was advised to remove this detail from the minutes. RESOLVED:- That the Minutes of the meetng held on 18 July be signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED:- That the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted.
The Head of Internal Audit and Technical mentioned that the terms of reference has been assessed against CIPFA guidance. However, the assessments should be an ongoing process to ensure that the committee continued to meet the necessary requirements. It was suggested to include the terms of reference in the work programme, particularly in relation to the Committee Members training and development, which is a standing item. RESOLVED:- That the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered whether the Annual Governance Statement (Appendix A) properly reflected governance within the council for publication with the council’s Statement of Accounts.
The Chief Executive submitted a report (CE/16/24) for the Governance & Audit Committee, in accordance with its Terms of Reference for them to: a) To consider the Annual Governance Statement for the period 2023-24, for publication with the council’s Statement of Accounts. b) To consider the review that has informed the Statement, and progress with the significant issues identified in the previous AGS (Year ended 31 March 2023). The Head of Service Performance Improvement and Partnerships introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. The following was discussed: · It was explained that there was no official or statutory definition from CIPFA regarding what constituted as a "significant issue." Instead, councils were guided by specific bullet points provided by CIPFA. Each local authority has the discretion to interpret and apply this guidance. · The process for determining significant issues involves consideration by various governance groups and consultation with stakeholders, but the final decision lies with the chief executive and the council leader. · The previous feedback from the committee regarding issue six on page 46 (elected member take up of available core training and key governance e-learning modules) indicated that the current level of completion was deemed unacceptable. It was explained that this feedback highlighted why the issue remained significant and that the committee expected improvement and was not willing to accept the current state. · The final sign-off of the accounts was delayed due to issues with historical valuation adjustments, specifically regarding how values were being presented on the balance sheet. While the accounts were mostly complete this did not affect the overall position of revenue accounts. · The technical nature of the valuation adjustments required officers to review a decade's worth of valuations which has been time-consuming and complex, necessitating assistance from the software provider. · The aim is to have the accounts certified by November, and they will likely be presented to the committee for certification by December Committee meeting. · The valuation question arose not from a legislative change but from a different technical interpretation of the accounting code. · Issues related to how valuations have been applied over time have led to a review of balance sheet values across all accounts, prompted by audits carried out by Audit Wales. · The balance sheet review focuses on whether certain entries should be classified in the revaluation reserve or the capital adjustment account, essentially determining how amounts are categorised in non-usable reserves. · A Member suggested recommending to the senior leadership team (SLT) that they consider the potential impact of budget cuts on the training budget during the current budget process. · A Member sought assurance on the following: a) That any unlawful expenditures by the local authority will be pursued for reimbursement to protect taxpayers, referencing existing financial enforcement rules. b) How risks associated with decision-makers’ biases against the council's strategic plans were being managed and that there was a need for potential intervention should officers face undue pressure. c) A projected in-year budget shortfall of £23.8 million was identified. It is deemed important to review the impact of the previous £22 million budget cuts, with a recommendation for scrutiny committee chairs and vice-chairs to address this issue. · Concerns were raised about the removal of a significant issue related to Secondary School performance (Principle D on page 43). Officers highlighted information in the review that explained that this issue had originally been included following the Estyn Core Inspection (2019), but the review recommended its removal as a significant issue as Estyn’s follow-up inspection in 2023 had removed the authority from the category of ‘causing significant concern.’ It was recommended that the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee report back to the audit committee to provide assurance on progress regarding Estyn Inspection recommendations. · Issues were noted in measuring and benchmarking data in the council's annual performance report. Officers confirmed that quarter 2 performance reporting would be considered by scrutiny and this could be revisited to ensure confidence in the data. · It was suggested that group leaders should have a list of mandatory training for councillors to encourage participation amongst their members. Officers will forward this recommendation to the workforce development team for consideration. · The Audit Wales representative stated that a national thematic review of accounts was conducted across all councils, and there were currently no plans to revisit that area soon. · Members were assured that a fully integrated impact assessment document is provided to decision-makers at the time of decision and all available integrated and historic equality impact assessments will be made accessible for consideration during decision-making. · Both the executive and scrutiny functions were aware of budget constraints affecting all 22 local authorities in Wales, and it was not just Wrexham Council. · The challenges relating to the budgetary constraints were part of a broader trend of diminishing resources for local government. · A member highlighted issues with accessing e-learning modules for core training, mentioning difficulty logging in until learning that a payroll number, rather than a username, was required. They suggested many councillors might be unaware of this change. Since resolving the issue, the member has completed four modules. · The Chair requested to thank the Head of Service for Performance Improvement and Partnerships and their team for the report and to formally note its content. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered whether the Annual Governance Statement (Appendix A) properly reflected governance within the council for publication with the council’s Statement of Accounts.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the updated Governance and Audit Committee Programme be noted.
The Chief Officer for Finance and ICT explained that the work programme was based on anticipated agendas for the upcoming period and may change as planning evolved. The Chief Officer for Finance and ICT invited questions about the forthcoming items and linked this to a discussion on whether the work programme raised any requests for specific training, information, or development needs from the committee. The following was discussed:- · A member made reference to the terms of reference, particularly concerning the wording around scrutiny, there was a need to focus on assurance rather than to overlap with the scrutiny committee's responsibilities. The member suggested scheduling a pre-meeting to review the wording and proposed bringing this up during the Chair's call over meeting. · It was acknowledged that the work programme aligned with the timelines for presenting reports. · A member suggested that, given the presence of new members and the upcoming meeting on the statement of accounts in November, it would be beneficial to hold a pre-meeting. This would help the committee focus on key aspects of the statement of accounts before the main meeting. · Officers will arrange a session for committee members to review the statement of accounts or present it before the report, similar to previous meetings. RESOLVED: - That the updated Governance and Audit Committee Programme be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: The GAC Development Plan was acknowledged.
It was noted that the GAC Development Plan would be addressed in a verbal update. RESOLVED: The GAC Development Plan was acknowledged.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED:- (i) That the Committee nominated one councillor to serve on the Governance and Audit Committee or the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee and one councillor to act as a substitute for that member. (ii) That the Committee decided to nominate a Lay member to the Governance and Audit Committee of the North Wales Corporate joint Committee.
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/82/24) that informed Members that the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) was establishing their required Governance and Audit Committee (GAC) and that Wrexham Council has been asked to nominate members of the GAC to serve on it. The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. The following was discussed:- · Councillor Paul Rogers and Independent Lay Member Carys Edwards were nominated to serve on the North Wales CJC, with Councillor Trevor Bates agreeing to be a substitute if needed. · Independent Lay Member Carys Edwards will also represent Gwynedd Council on the North Wales CJC, and it was suggested she represent Wrexham Council as well. · Councillors proposed sending a letter to Gwynedd Council to support the nomination of Independent Lay Member Carys Edwards' on the North Wales CJC. · The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer will communicate the committee's feedback to the monitoring officer at Gwynedd Council, who is organising the North Wales CJC Committee membership. RESOLVED:- (i) That the Committee nominated one councillor to serve on the Governance and Audit Committee or the North Wales Corporate Joint Committee and one councillor to act as a substitute for that member. (ii) That the Committee decided to nominate a Lay member to the Governance and Audit Committee of the North Wales Corporate joint Committee.
Members of the Committee agreed that Item 12 be brought forward and taken at this time.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the information included with this report to determine that the Council’s complaint management was compliant with all requirements and is effective in addressing customer concerns
The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/80/24) that: · Provided the Governance and Audit Committee with an overview of the Council’s processes and reporting procedures in relation to complaints to enable the GAC members to determine what information they require annually to meet their responsibilities in respect of the GAC Terms of Reference. · Presented to the committee the Annual Letter of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales (Appendix 1) in respect of complaints made against Wrexham Council for 2023/24. The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer introduced the report, and Complaints Officer Jak Roberts presented it, highlighting the main points. Members asked a number of questions which were responded to accordingly, and the following points were highlighted during the detailed debate:- · A member emphasised the importance of recognising the ombudsman's positive reference to the engagement with the monitoring officer, suggesting that the GAC committee should formally acknowledge this. · The Complaints Officer discussed the percentage of complaints per 1,000 residents as an indicator of how many escalated their issues to the Ombudsman, highlighting the importance of a transparent complaints procedure that encouraged residents to seek independent reviews. · There were concerns about Wrexham Council being the second highest authority in Wales for Ombudsman complaints however, the Ombudsman's level of intervention was a more accurate measure of the council's performance. · That only four local authorities have a lower complaint percentage than Wrexham Council. Regarding compliance. · It was explained that a 42% compliance rate was due to not notifying the Ombudsman within the required timeframe, despite having acted on their recommendations. · Members were assured that efforts were ongoing to improve compliance figures by the next committee report. · A member suggested that the committee should recommend to scrutiny the importance of meeting time frames for handling complaints and that they could also analyse complaint trends per population. The Chief Officer for Governance and Customer confirmed they would take this recommendation forward with scrutiny and would consider the comments. · A member questioned whether all councils in Wales encouraged residents to escalate their complaints to the Ombudsman. · There had been a significant rise in complaint numbers due to the strikes, increasing from 164 formal investigations in 2022-23 to 292 in 2023-24, which also affected the complaint team's workload. This increase has distorted the council's performance comparison with other councils. · The Complaints Officer described the two-stage complaints process and explained that the Ombudsman served as an additional layer for independent assessment if the resident was still unhappy with the outcome. The officer emphasised that this open and transparent process was designed to provide residents with options for further action if needed. · A member highlighted that the report also addressed an increase of 16% in code of conduct complaints, emphasising that it was not solely about residents' complaints. They suggested that scrutiny should consider this issue as well. · It was explained that the Ombudsman typically upheld complaints or conducts further investigations when warranted and that the council generally accepted compensation recommendations when they occurred. · A member expressed concern about the Ombudsman's timeframe for reviewing or closing complaints, noting that a 12-month period can be quite lengthy, particularly considering the wellbeing of individuals involved. · Whilst the reports provide statistics on complaints, they lacked information about staffing levels across councils. · The effectiveness of Wrexham's complaints team was acknowledged by Members. · The Chair asked for agreement on whether the Council was compliant with its requirements and if it was effectively addressing customer concerns. · There were Concerns regarding the 42% non-compliance rate and officers assured the committee members that they will present these non-compliance issues to scrutiny for further attention. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the information included with this report to determine that the Council’s complaint management was compliant with all requirements and is effective in addressing customer concerns
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW inspection report at Appendix A. As this report made no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but was reflection on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which required amendment.
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/19/24) which presented the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) Inspection Report of Wrexham Fostering Service. The Senior Head of Children's Social Care, Social Care Services introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. The following was discussed: · It was explained that recommendations indicated failures to meet statutory requirements and require specific compliance timelines. Areas of improvement focused on enhancing practices for a better service. · Members were assured that the Council was committed to supporting Welsh speakers within its teams for assessments and foster care, offering mandatory Welsh language training and encouraging staff to improve their proficiency. · There was a shortage of first-language Welsh-speaking foster carers. · When a Welsh-speaking child is identified, the fostering service seeks Welsh-speaking placements through family connections or external agencies. · The fostering service collaborates with Foster Wales to enhance recruitment and retention strategies, ensuring they can meet the diverse needs of children in their care and provide support for the Welsh language when necessary. · There was a pressing need for carers who could speak Eastern European languages for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. · An officer explained that the report presented was a CIW report, which followed a standard template used for all services, making it impossible to add appendices since CIW was the author. · Members were assured that after receiving the CIW report, the areas for improvement have been incorporated into their service plan for fostering, and these points were being monitored by the corporate parenting panel. · The local authority offered a wide variety of training for foster carers, however, the attendance has been low. This issue was not universal; kinship carers, who often see themselves as family members rather than professionals, may not prioritise the training. · The fostering inspection evaluates all types of foster carers equally. To address this, the team provides tailored training packages that meet specific needs. · Efforts were underway to provide tailored training packages and develop an online training portal for convenience. · The out of hour’s helpline was expected to launch in about two months, operating Monday to Friday, with face-to-face support on weekends. · There was ongoing issues with clarity in reports, especially regarding the voice of the child due to the fostering service operating on a standalone computer system that did not integrate with the children's records. · A new regional service system was being commissioned to integrate fostering and children's records. · The supervising social work team was now fully staffed, with 95% of the fostering service expected to be permanent by December. · Significant positive changes have been made over the past four years, including restructuring and workforce stabilisation. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW inspection report at Appendix A. As this report made no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but was reflection on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which required amendment.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW Cefn Report at Appendix A. As the report makes no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but is reflecting on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which require amendment.
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/21/2024) that presented the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) Inspection report of Cefn Road. The Senior Head of Children's Social Care, Social Care Services Introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it:- · Concerns were expressed regarding the lack of member visits to adult and children’s provisions since the 2017 term. A member enquired about plans to reinstate these visits and requested a timeline for future participation. · It was explained that the requirement for member visits ceased with the introduction of new legislation, which likely occurred in 2018. · Instead of member visits, independent visits to provisions were required, along with the appointment of a responsible individual who regularly oversees all homes for adults and children. · Due to the vulnerabilities of the children, the Council decided against reinstating member visits, as it would require members to undergo DBS checks to ensure safety. · Members were assured that existing measures adequately met the necessary requirements but was open to further discussions on the matter if members wished to explore it. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the CIW Cefn Report at Appendix A. As the report makes no specific recommendations the Council was not required to submit a response to the report but is reflecting on the report in its entirety and any areas of the service which require amendment.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - (i) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the content of the full Audit Wales report included as Appendix A. (ii) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the actions agreed by North Wales partners in response to this audit and the role that Wrexham Social Services had to play in these. These were included as Appendix B
The Chief Officer for Social Care submitted a report (COSC/24/2024) that provided members of the Governance and Audit Committee with other information regarding Audit Wales’ report examining “whether health boards and local authorities have effective arrangements in place to ensure timely discharge of patients out of hospital”. The Audit Lead for Audit Wales and the Head of Service for Older People and Commissioning presented the report and highlighted the main points within it. The following main points were discussed and are detailed below:- · A member summarised that the audit recommendations will be managed by the Regional Partnership Board and expressed concerns about the visibility of the board's in-year work program, which was not currently available on their website. · The member emphasised the importance of transparency in implementing the audit recommendations and noted that the regional investment fund totalled £95 million, calling for clearer communication regarding the impact of that spending. · Assurance was sought that the audit committee would receive updates on how the Regional Partnership Board was addressing the recommendations and it was suggested that improving the board's website would enhance visibility. · The Chief Officer for Social Care represents Wrexham Council on the Regional Partnership Board (RPB). It was suggested that he request updates from the board to be shared. A recommendation could be made to the RPB to improve public visibility of their work plan and progress. · It was recommended that the Audit Wales Report on Hospital Flow and an update against the recommendations will be taken to RPB for update in March and September and the outcome will be published on the RPB website. · The funding was managed by the regional collaboration team. Their role was to provide operational input for delivering the recommendations, with regular regional meetings to coordinate efforts. Progress was then reported to the Regional Partnership Board and leadership groups. · Concerns were raised regarding patient discharges, specifically focusing on the discharge figures for Saturdays and Sundays across hospitals. The data showed a smooth discharge process from Monday to Friday, but there seemed to be a slowdown during the weekend. · The figure for patients discharged within 48 hours after being declared medically fit was derived from a case note sample of patients with a length of stay over 21 days from a specific month. · The discharge rate for Wrexham Maelor Hospital was noted to be significantly higher than that of other hospitals. Various reasons were identified in the sampled case notes; however, it was unclear if national data had been utilised, and reconciliations and data were missing for a couple of months. · The decline in patient discharges on Saturdays and Sundays was attributed to various factors, including staffing issues among different professionals and the inability of care homes to accept patients over the weekend. · A member requested additional information due to unclear responses to their questions. They noted that Wrexham Maelor's performance in certain areas, according to the report, was unsatisfactory. The member also asked for insights on patient discharges on Saturdays and Sundays and suggested obtaining feedback from Audit Wales or another relevant source to share with themselves and the committee. · Reference was made to the national detox census, which monitors delayed discharges every three weeks and meets monthly with the NHS executive to review this data. · It was suggested that a summary report, showing discharge trends over time, would benefit the committee. Whilst the audit captures a snapshot of data, the census offers a broader perspective on discharge delays and their causes. · It was explained that the many services that the hospital collaborates with did not operate seven days a week, which complicated weekend discharges. · Efforts were being made to improve the five-day assessment process, as discharges were more likely to occur mid-week rather than at the beginning or end. · It was emphasised that substantial work was still needed to improve discharge rates, especially on weekends. · A member suggested that an initial discharge summary report would be helpful, it was emphasised that if concerns about the level of assurance persisted, they could recommend the matter to the appropriate scrutiny committee. · The graphs in the report covered 11 months because data collection did not begin until March of that year. Consequently, some data included in the report was only available from April onwards. · The Chair thanked Audit Wales for presenting the report and to the team for conducting the review. They thanked Audit Wales for meeting with them and the Head of Service for Older People and Commissioning for her willingness to address the challenging questions, acknowledging the complexity of the issues. RESOLVED: - (i) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the content of the full Audit Wales report included as Appendix A. (ii) That members of the Governance and Audit Committee considered the actions agreed by North Wales partners in response to this audit and the role that Wrexham Social Services had to play in these. These were included as Appendix B
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Audit Wales Work Programme and Timetable for Wrexham County Borough Council be noted.
The Audit Wales Lead provided a brief update on Audit Wales developments since June, noting that the report was somewhat dated, and that Audit Wales were preparing a six-month update. The following was discussed:- · Audit Wales were thanked for highlighting the Estyn report on page 235, noting that its information was relevant to Wrexham. · A member enquired about: a) The scoping timeframe for the section on access to education for children with additional learning needs mentioned on page 241 and expressed interest in the upcoming report. The Audit Wales representative indicated they would discuss the matter with colleagues and will provide a response outside the meeting. b) The scope of the report, particularly regarding issues of underfunding for additional learning needs and whether those needs were being adequately met. · The focus was to certify the 2022/23 accounts in order to establish the opening figures before proceeding with the 2023/24 accounts. · A revised Audit Wales timetable would be provided during the next meeting, alongside the six-month updates, and it was emphasised that progress was contingent upon completing the certification of the 2022/23 accounts. RESOLVED: That the Audit Wales Work Programme and Timetable for Wrexham County Borough Council be noted.
Part of an issue followed across 2 meetings
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the processes in place to support the effective management of risks.
The Chief Executive submitted a report (CE/20/24) that provided assurance to the Governance and Audit Committee on the council’s risk management arrangements, and to update the committee on the council’s corporate risks. The Head of Service: Performance, Improvement & Partnerships provided an introduction and highlighted the relevant points associated to them. The following was discussed:- · The risk management process did not record inherent risk. Instead, risk owners were required to evaluate their mitigations and then rate the residual risk. · Reference was made to page 251, explaining that the risk control registers contained a matrix used to assess the level of risk. This scale assisted risk owners in determining the potential impact of specific risks. · Risk owners were able to reference relevant legislation, statutory requirements, or governance standards related to the specific area of work when assessing risks. · A committee member raised concerns about the communication of significant risks, such as the removal of the chief executive. They emphasised the need for transparency in governance responsibilities and requested clarification on how early warning indicators would be reported to keep the committee informed about potential governance issues. · It was clarified that the committee reviewed the risk registers, which helped identify potential high-level risks using RAG status reporting to assess impact and likelihood. If a risk has a high impact rating (level 5), the committee can further examine related corporate risks to ensure transparency and obtain additional assurance in their governance and audit processes. · A committee member questioned the scope of economy and planning risk 19, which focused on significant safety incidents at council-run events, suggesting it should also cover council-authorised events. · The Head of Service: Performance, Improvement & Partnerships confirmed that the discussed risk pertain to council-hosted events and acknowledged the member's concern about events permitted on council property. The Officer will relay this feedback to the Chief Officer for Economy and Planning for further discussion. RESOLVED: That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the processes in place to support the effective management of risks.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the report and obtained satisfactory explanations regarding any areas of concern.
The Chief Officer Finance and ICT submitted a report (COFI/33/24) that considered the Head of Service Audit and Technical’s Interim Report for April to August 2024. The Head of Service Audit & Technical introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it: The following was discussed:- · The Head of Service Audit and Technical confirmed that the high-priority recommendation in the action plan for the commissioning and contract management audit was a staged action plan due to its complexity. They clarified that the committee will return to evaluate the implementation of each stage as planned. · It was explained that assessing risks for next year's plan will guide decisions on further work related to schools. In creating the three-year indicative school budgets, funding and costs were not adjusted for inflation; instead, the focus was on current-year data to illustrate the impact of recovery plan actions without inflation assumptions. This approach aimed to clarify consequences without influencing future inflation decisions. · A Member advised that it would be prudent to review all school budgets when setting the audit plan for the upcoming year. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee considered the report and obtained satisfactory explanations regarding any areas of concern.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee recommends that the Governance and Audit Committee’s Annual Report 2023-24 to go to Full Council.
The Chief Officer for Finance and ICT submitted a report (COFI/24/24) asking members to consider the Governance and Audit Committee’s Annual Report 2023-24. The Head of Service for Audit and Technical introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. The following points were discussed and detailed below: · It was explained that the report served as the consultation, consolidating information for the committee's review. · Due to the recent committee turnover, the audit committee's purpose, function, and self-assessments will be reviewed again next year. · It was confirmed that the Audit Committee report summarised the committee's activities during the past year. · Members discussed the upcoming Work Programme, which included the Self-Assessment report scheduled for November, which focused on peer review of audit methods in local authorities. · Concerns were raised about lengthy reports, citing one that was over 300 pages, and the need to manage the number of reports presented to the committee. · It was suggested to consider additional meetings or switching to a bi-monthly schedule to allow for adequate discussion time, especially with the increase from a two-hour to a three-hour meeting format. · The committee acknowledged improvements in attendance compared to the previous year and reiterated its commitment to continuous improvement in effectiveness and workload management. · The Chair thanked the Head of Internal Audit and Technical for preparing a comprehensive report and stated that they would familiarise themselves with it in preparation for presenting it to Full Council. RESOLVED: - That the Governance and Audit Committee recommends that the Governance and Audit Committee’s Annual Report 2023-24 to go to Full Council.
The following was discussed: · An Audit Wales representative updated Members on the scoping of a review on additional learning needs (ALN). The ALN review was expected to be a focused study building on previous work, such as Estyn's thematic review, with evidence gathering from local authorities set to begin in early 2025. · Audit Wales encouraged anyone interested in sharing their views to reach out. · It was also noted that a recent review of England's Special Educational Needs (SEN) could reveal similar issues within Wales's ALN framework. The importance of this scoping was emphasised as a means to advocate for necessary changes and identify areas needing funding and improvement.