Live broadcast to start at 7pm and available for repeat viewing.  

Apologies were received from Cllr McKinlay and Cllr Bridge attended as substitute.

The Minutes of the Audit & Scrutiny meeting held on 26^th January 2021 were approved as a true record.

Following a fraud risk assessment undertaken by internal auditors ‘BDO’ in October 2020, it was subsequently recommended that the Anti-Fraud Policy be updated to incorporate a section on Money Laundering and investment properties and the Policy is also due for review.

Mrs Van Mellaerts was present at the meeting and available to assist with Members’ enquiries.

A  motion was MOVED by Cllr Nolan and SECONDED by Cllr Tanner to approve the recommendations in the report.

Following discussion, a vote was taken and it was RESOLVED

UNANIMOUSLY that Members:

1.    Approve and adopt the Anti-Fraud Policy, incorporating the

additional section 10.6 on Money Laundering and Investment

Properties (Appendix A).

Reasons for Recommendation

To raise awareness and provide a basic level of understanding for officers

surrounding the potential for money laundering within the specific area of

investment properties.

To ensure the Council is adopting and implementing recommendations from

internal auditors, which endeavours to keep any risk of fraud to the Council at a minimum.

This report is intended to inform the Audit and Scrutiny Committee of progress made against the 2020/21 internal audit plan.

The following reports had been finalised since the last Committee:

 Environment – Street Cleaning, Fly Tipping and Enforcement (Limited /

    Limited)

 Cyber security (Moderate/Moderate)

 Procurement and Contract Management (Substantial/Moderate)

Ms Combrinck was present at the meeting and summarised the report.

Following a full discussion Members were asked to note the following recommendations:

1.    That the Committee receives and notes the contents of the Internal Audit Progress Report attached in Appendix A.

2.    That the Committee receives and notes the contents of the Internal Audit Follow Up Report attached in Appendix B.

Reasons for Recommendations

To monitor the progress of work against the internal audit plan.

This report outlines the Internal Audit Operational Plan for 2021/22, three year

Strategic Plan and Internal Audit Charter, as included in Appendix A.

 A motion was MOVED by Cllr Nolan and SECONDED by Cllr Tanner to approve the recommendations in the report.

Mr Rubins was present at the meeting and summarised the report.

Following a full discussion, a vote was taken and it was RESOLVED

UNANIMOUSLY that Members:

1.     Approve the Internal Audit Operational Plan 2021/22, three year

Strategic Plan and Internal Audit Charter attached in Appendix A.

2.    Delegated authority is given to the Section 151 Officer to amend the plan in year as necessary to deliver the contract.

Reasons for Recommendation

To approve the work programme for the Internal Audit Plan 2021/22.

The report updates members of the Audit & Scrutiny Committee on the status of the Council’s 2020/21 Strategic Risk Register and high-level Operational Risks.

As a result of the current risk review one risk scores has reduced and all other risk scores have remained the same from the last reported Committee in November.

Of the high-level operational risks, one score has increased, two scores have been reduced, and the other risks scores have remained the same. There is one new risk.

Members are asked to note the following recommendations:

1.    To note the Strategic Risk Register, as shown in Appendix A.

2.    To note the risk scores recorded for the high-level Operational Risks, as shown in Appendix B.

Reasons for Recommendation

Risk Management continues to be imbedded quarterly within the Senior

Leadership Team reports, where Service Heads discuss the top-level risks for their service areas to ensure that the risks are updated to reflect the ongoing changes.

The Risk and Insurance Officer will continue to work with risk managers to maintain the good progress to date and further develop a consistent application of risk management considerations across all operations of the Council.

This report submits the report and recommendations of the Formal Complaints and Performance Indicators Working Group for consideration by the Audit & Scrutiny Committee.

A motion was MOVED by Cllr Nolan and SECONDED by Cllr Tanner to approve the recommendations in the report.

Following discussion, a vote was taken and it was RESOLVED

UNANIMOUSLY that Members:

1.    Note the Formal Complaints and Performance Indicators Working Group report, as attached at Appendix A, and agree the recommendations contained within it.

Reasons for Recommendation

To ensure the Council provides quality customer services.

The Constitution requires that the Audit & Scrutiny Committee agrees its Scrutiny work programme at each meeting of the Committee. This report provides an update of the current scrutiny work programme and is set out in Appendix A.

A  motion was MOVED by Cllr Nolan and SECONDED by Cllr Tanner to approve the recommendations in the report.

Following discussion, a vote was taken and it was RESOLVED

UNANIMOUSLY:

1.    That the Committee considers and agrees the 2020/21 Scrutiny work programme as set out in Appendix A.

Reasons for Recommendation

The Constitution requires that the Audit & Scrutiny Committee agrees its Scrutiny work programme at each meeting of the Committee.

An item of business may only be considered where the Chair is of the opinion that, by reason of special circumstances, which shall be specified in the Minutes, the item should be considered as a matter of urgency.

There were no items of urgent business.

                                                                        The meeting concluded at 20.07