Agenda

RECOMMENDED that the minutes of the meeting held on 4 November

2016 be confirmed and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

Two reports from the External Auditors will be presented for information.

The purpose of the report is to secure the appointment of an external auditor for the 2018/19 and subsequent years accounts.

RECOMMENDED that Governance and Audit and Standards Committee consider the report and recommends to Council that it opts in to the appointing person arrangements made by Public Sector Audit Appointments (PSAA) for the appointment of external auditors.

The purpose of the report is to inform members and the wider community of the Council’s Treasury Management position at 31 December 2016 and of the risks attached to that position.

In March 2009 the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Treasury Management Panel issued a bulletin on Treasury Management in Local Authorities. The bulletin states that “in order to enshrine best practice it is suggested that authorities report formally on Treasury Management activities at least twice yearly and preferably quarterly”. The report in Appendix A covers the first nine months of 2016/17.

RECOMMENDED that the actual treasury management indicators set out in the report in paragraph 3 (a) to (g) for the third quarter of 2016/17 be noted.

The purpose of the report is to bring to the attention of the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee the Annual Review of Complaints by the Local Government Ombudsman dated July 2016 regarding the complaints it has considered against Portsmouth City Council for the year 2015/2016.

This report is for information only.

The purpose of the report is to provide the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee with information regarding complaints received by Portsmouth City Council during quarter 1 2016/17.

This report is for information only.

The purpose of the report is to update the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee on the Internal Audit Performance for 2016/17 to 3rd January 2017 against the Annual Audit Plan, highlight areas of concern and areas where assurance can be given on the internal control framework.

RECOMMENDED that Members

(1)  Note the Audit Performance for 2016/17 to 3rd January 2017

(2)  Note the highlighted areas of control weakness for the 2016/17 Audit Plan

(3)  Approve the proposed Audit and Counter Fraud Strategy for the use of Audit resources for 2017/18

The purpose of the report is to bring significant performance issues, arising from Q2 performance monitoring, to Governance and Audit and Standards committee and highlight areas for further action or analysis.

RECOMMENDED that the Committee

1)        Notes the report;

2)        Notes the overall improvement in quality of reports , and the  commentary from the Deputy Chief Executive at section 5

3)        Comments on the performance issues highlighted in section 3, including agreeing if any further  action is required

4)        Agrees the actions proposed in section 4.

The purpose of the report is to update Members of the Committee on the nature and handling of any whistleblowing concerns which have been raised in the past year.

RECOMMENDED that Members of the Committee

(1)             note the report

(2)             consider whether any further action is required by them.

The purpose of the report is to update Members of the Committee on current progress in relation to complaints which allege that Councillors may have breached the Code of Conduct.

RECOMMENDED that Members of the Committee

(1)  note the report.

(2)  Consider whether any further action is required by them.

That in view of the contents of the following items on the agenda the

Committee is RECOMMENDED to adopt the following motion:

“That, under the provisions of Section 100A of the Local Government

Act, 1972 as amended by the Local Government (Access to Information)

Act, 1985, the press and public be excluded for the consideration of the

following items on the grounds that the reports contain information

defined as exempt in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government

Act, 1972”.

The public interest in maintaining the exemption must outweigh the

public interest in disclosing the information.

Under the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and

Access to Information) England Regulations 2012, regulation 5, the

reasons for exemption of the listed items is shown below.

Members of the public may make representation as to why the item

should be held in open session. A statement of the Council’s response

to representations received will be given at the meeting so that this can

be taken into account when members decide whether or not to deal with

the item under exempt business.

(NB The exempt/confidential committee papers on the agenda will

contain information which is commercially, legally or personally

sensitive and should not be divulged to third parties. Members are

reminded of standing order restrictions on the disclosure of exempt

information and are invited to return their exempt documentation to the

Senior Local Democracy Officer at the conclusion of the meeting for

shredding.)

Item                                                                                       Exemption Para No.*

15. Procurement Management Information report                1, 2 and 3

16. Data Security Breaches Report                                           1 and 2

1. Information relating to any individual

2. Information that is likely to reveal the identity of an individual

3. Information relating to the financial or business affairs of any

particular person (including the authority holding that information).

(NB Appendices 1, 4 and 5 are exempt and provision has been made on the agenda for the meeting to be moved into exempt session if required)

The purpose of the report is to provide evidence to allow the committee to evaluate the extent that Portsmouth City Council is achieving value for money in its contracts for goods, services and works.

This item is for information only.

(NB Appendix 1 is exempt and provision has been made on the agenda for the meeting to be moved into exempt session if required)

The purpose of the report is to inform the Committee of any Data Security Breaches and actions agreed/taken since the last meeting.

RECOMMENDED that Members of the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee note the breaches (by reference to Exempt Appendix A) that have arisen and the action determined by the Corporate Information Governance Panel (CIGP).