Agenda

RECOMMENDED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 30 June 2017

be confirmed and signed by the chair as a correct record.

The purpose of the report is to seek approval from the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee for the council's Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for 2016/17.

RECOMMENDED that the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee are asked to agree the Annual Governance Statement 2016/17 (Appendix 1).

The final version of the Statement of Accounts will be tabled on the day for the Chair to sign off. Members of the committee have already received copies of the draft.

(Note that the Annual Governance Statement must be signed off first.)

The purpose of the report is to consider the Statement of Accounts for 2016/17.

RECOMMENDED

(1)  That the Statement of Accounts be approved

(2)  That authority be delegated to the Chair of the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee to sign an amended 2016/17 Statement of Accounts after 15 September should this be required following comments by the auditor

Chair to sign the Letter of Representation.

The External Auditor's report (originally marked "to follow") is now attached and their written consent has been obtained.to publish this on the website.

The purpose of the report is to update the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee on the Internal Audit Performance for 2017/18 to 18^th August 2017 against the Annual Audit Plan, highlight areas of concern and areas where assurance can be given on the internal control framework.

RECOMMENDED

(1)  That Members note the Audit Performance for 2017/18 to 18^th August 2017.

(2)  That Members note the highlighted areas of control weakness from the 2017/18 Audit Plan.

(NB data marked "to be added" re Public Health in App 2 now attached as an additional appendix, App 5)

The report brings significant performance issues, arising from Q1 performance monitoring, to Governance and Audit and Standards committee and highlights areas for further action or analysis.

RECOMMENDED that the Governance and Audit and Standards Committee

(1)  Notes the report;

(2)  Notes the overall improvement in quality of reports

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

(4)  Agrees the actions proposed in section 4

(To this Committee for information - also going to Cabinet and Council)

The purpose of the report is to inform members and the wider community of the Council's treasury management activities in 2016/17 and of the Council's treasury management position as at 31 March 2017.

RECOMMENDED that:

(1)  The actual prudential indicators based on the unaudited draft accounts as shown in Appendix A be noted

(2)  The actual treasury management indicators for 2016/17, as shown in Appendix B, be noted

(To this Committee for information - also going to Cabinet and Council)

The purpose of the report is to inform members and the wider community of the Council’s Treasury Management position at 31 July 2017 and to amend the Council's Treasury Management Strategy to reflect the Council's current circumstances.

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”. The report in Appendix A covers the first four months of 2017/18.

RECOMMENDED that the recommendations set out in paragraph 3 a) to d) be noted.

The purpose of the report is to update the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee on the position of training for councillors and to offer recommendations for improvements to the programme based on feedback.

RECOMMENDED that

(1)  Governance & Audit & Standards Committee to approve the annual training plan prior to delivery

(2)  All training delivered to councillors to be subject to quality assurance

(3)  Group Leaders to support attendance on compulsory training

(INFORMATION ONLY ITEM)

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 2017 regarding the complaints it has considered against Portsmouth City Council for the year 2016/2017.

That in view of the contents of the following item 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 item on the grounds that the report contains 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. Data Security Breaches Report - Appendix -       paragraphs 1 and 2

*1. Information relating to any individual

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

(Provision has been made to go into exempt session if needed as the appendix is exempt)

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 that have arisen (by reference to Exempt Appendix A) and the action determined by the Corporate Information Governance Panel (CIGP).