Merthyr Tydfil Council:

Minutes for Audit Committee meeting, Apr 11 2011, 3.30PM official page

Other committee documents for Merthyr Tydfil Council :: Audit Committee details

Venue: CONFERENCE ROOM 3. View directions

Items No. Item

966.

Apologies for absence

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P Brown.

967.

Declarations of Interest

Members of the Audit Committee are reminded of their personal responsibility to declare any personal and prejudicial interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government Act 2000, the Council’s Constitution and the Members Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

No Declarations of Interest were made.

968.

Action Schedule

Minutes:

The Chair referred the Committee to the Action Schedule and advised that Actions in relation to the Committee Meetings held 21 June 2010, 27 September 2010, 25 October 2010 and 6 December 2010 had now all been addressed.

 

Actions in relation to the Meeting held 17 January 2011, Mark Thomas advised the Committee that the report was nearing completion.

 

Actions in relation to the Meeting held 28 February 2011 the Committee were advised that a joint training session would be arranged with James Quance early in September.

969.

Corporate Record Retention and Disposal Policy and departmental Information Management Policies PDF 256 KB

To consider a report from the Director of Customer Services

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Ellis Cooper and Lorna Townsend to the Meeting.

 

Ellis Cooper led the Committee through the report and Policies and stated that he would welcome feedback from the Members on the matter.

 

Questions were raised by the Members and were answered by the Officers.

 

RESOLVED

 

That a progress report on the issue be made to the Committee in six months.

970.

Annual Governance Statement for 2009/10 - Significant Governance Issues PDF 107 KB

To consider a report  from the Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Kerry O’Donovan to the Meeting.

 

Kerry O’Donovan led the Members through the report for their information.

 

Arising on paragraph (k) Establishing clear channels of communication with all sections of the Community and other stakeholders, ensuring accountability and encouraging open consultation, a Member stated that it could be for the Audit Committee to undertake an annual audit of Consultation.  He also enquired if there was a toolkit available where members of the public could find information on the Web site.

 

Another Member then referred to the difference between engagement and consultation and that there was the need for the Council to have a statement on how it intended to engage.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the Corporate Communication Team be invited to provide an update on progress being made on consultation and engagement regarding the mechanisms of engagement over the next twelve months.

 

The Committee were also advised that in relation to (j) the Wales Charter for Member Support and Development had been obtained.

 

FURTHER RESOLVED that

 

(a) PDF 125 KB

To consider a report from the Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed Steve Jones, Mark Taylor, Lisa Emerson, Mark Tuson and Sarah Macalistair Smith to the Meeting.

 

Mark Thomas led the Members through the report for their information.

 

Colin Davies of the Wales Audit Office then referred to the Annual Improvement Report and advised that it was a positive report.

 

Steve Jones referred the Members to the Accountancy Service Area within the report and outlined in detail the recommendation and the actions required and responded to questions raised on the area by the Members.

 

Mark Tuson referred the Members to the Human Resources Service Area within the report and outlined in detail the recommendation and the actions required and responded to questions raised on the area by the Members.

 

Mark Taylor referred the Members to the Estates Service Area within the report and outlined in detail the recommendation and the actions required and responded to questions raised on the area by the Members.

 

Lisa Emerson then updated the Committee in relation to Asset Management which had been identified as a risk in the Corporate Risk Register.

 

She advised the Members of the current position and the priorities in relation to this issue.

 

Mark Thomas and Sarah Macalistair Smith referred the Members to the Audit, Performance and Partnerships Area within the report and outlined in detail the recommendation and the actions required and responded to questions raised on the area by the Members.

 

Colin Davies then referred to monitoring performance and that the Members had a key role to play in ensuring that the various plans, MTFP, Workplace Development Plan and the Asset Management Plan were connected / joined up.

 

RESOLVED

 

That the contents of the report and the progress made against the proposals made by the Wales Audit Office be noted.

972.

External Audit Plan

To receive an update from the External Auditors (PricewaterhouseCoopers)

Minutes:

The Chair welcomed James Quance of PriceWaterhouseCoopers to the Meeting.

 

James Quance referred the Committee to the Draft Financial Audit Outline and advised that the final plan would be brought to the next Committee Meeting.

973.

Any other business deemed urgent by the Chair

Minutes:

The Chair referred to the Audit Reports that had been circulated to the Committee and advised that these were for information purposes only.

 

The Chair advised that there was no business deemed urgent.

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