Minutes for Audit Committee meeting, May 8 2012, 2.00PM official page

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 29 February 2012 (AU3) and to receive information arising from them. 

2:10

A representative of the Audit Commission will attend and present the Audit Commission Progress Report and Letter to the Chairman (AU5)

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       receive and note the Progress Report; and

(b)       comment upon and note the Letter. 

2:30

Report by Chief Internal Auditor (AU6)

The report summarises the matters arising at the most recent meeting of the Audit Working Group (AWG). 

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to invite the Cabinet Members for Adult Services and for Finance and Property to the Audit Committee to comment on the AWG concerns regarding Fairer Charging.

2:50

Report by Head of Law & Governance (AU7)

Under the Localism Act 2011, the current standards regime for local authorities is due to be repealed on 1 July 2012.  At its meeting on 20 March, the Council made some decisions as to the shape of future standards arrangements for Oxfordshire County Council under the Localism Act. These included the cessation of the Council’s Standards Committee and a decision to transfer to the Audit Committee – as a newly-named Audit and Governance Committee – the responsibility for the overview of member standards.  It was also agreed in principle that a member-officer working group, reporting to the Audit and Governance Committee, be appointed to consider complaints under the new standards arrangements.  This report invites the Committee to consider the draft new terms of reference and the potential complaints procedure.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider and comment upon the proposed terms of reference and the arrangements for considering complaints as outlined in Annexes 1 and 2 respectively.

3:10

Report by the Monitoring Officer (AU8)

The report provides a commentary on the performance of the Internal Audit system throughout 2011/12.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Monitoring Officer’s assessment of the effectiveness of the system of Internal Audit 2011/12.

3:30

Report by Assistant Chief Executive and Chief Finance Officer (AU9)

The report presents the Internal Audit progress report on the 2011/12 planned activity, and the 2012/13 Quarter 1 Plan and Counter-fraud Plan for the approval of the Audit Committee.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

(a)       note the report;

(b)       approve the Quarter Plan and the Counter-fraud Plan. 

3:50

To review / update the Committee’s Work Programme (AU10).

4:00    Close of meeting