Agenda

RECOMMENDED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 3 March 2017 be confirmed and signed by the chair as a correct record.

Presentation of the External Auditor's Fee Letter for noting.

Presentation of the Audit Progress Report from the External Auditors for noting.

The purpose of the report is to report significant performance issues, arising from Q4 performance monitoring, to Governance and Audit and Standards committee and highlight areas for further action or analysis.

RECOMMENDED that the Committee is asked to

1)        note the report;

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

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

4)        agree the actions proposed in section 4

The purpose of the report is to seek comment from the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee for the council's draft Annual Governance  Statement (AGS) for 2016/17 and for the associated framework for monitoring progress.

RECOMMENDED that the Committee are asked to

(1)  Note the progress and recommendations made against the 2016/17 annual governance issues as set out in Appendix 1

(2)  Comment on the draft Annual Governance Statement 2016/17 (Appendix 2)

(3)  Note the updated Local Code of Governance as set out in Appendix 3

The purpose of the report is to ask the Committee to consider whether it wishes to disapply the political balance rules in respect of its Sub-Committees which consider complaints against Members and to agree that the same rule shall apply to the Initial Filtering Panel.

RECOMMENDED that the political balance rules are disapplied in respect of Governance and Audit and Standards Sub-Committees which are considering complaints against Members and also the same arrangement should apply in respect of Initial Filtering Panel membership.

The purpose of the report is to ask Members to consider a proposed revision to the content of the Complaint Form submitted in relation to Councillor Code of Conduct complaints.

RECOMMENDED that the Committee

1)    Considers the proposed amendments to the Complaint Form attached as Appendix 1 to this report

2)    Recommends to Council that the revised Complaint Form is adopted

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.*

12. Data Security Breaches Report  -                paragraphs 1 and 2

13. Annual Audit Performance Report              paragraphs 1 and 2

1. Information relating to any individual

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

(NB Appendix A 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).

(NB Appendix D 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

(1)  to give the Annual Audit Opinion on the effectiveness of the control framework, based on the Internal Audit findings for 2016/17 and highlight areas of concern.

(2)  to advise Members of the Audit Plan for 2017/18.

(3)  To provide a summary of the Counter Fraud cases investigated and sanction results. Details of corporate cases investigated are contained within exempt Appendix D.

RECOMMENDED that Members

(1)  note the Audit and Counter Fraud Performance for 2016/17.

(2)  note the highlighted areas of control weakness from the 2016/17 Audit Plan.

(3)  note the Annual Audit Opinion on the effectiveness of the system of internal control for 2016/17.

(4)  endorse the Audit Plan for 2017/18

(5)  consider any additional actions to be taken in response to matters raised within this report relating to the reviews undertaken.