Audit Committee - 22 March 2016

NOTICE AND AGENDA

For a meeting to be held in the Penn Chamber, Three Rivers House, Rickmansworth, on Tuesday, 22 March 2016 at 7.30pm.

Members of the Committee:-

Councillors:-      Steve Drury (Vice-Chairman)      Sarah Nelmes (Chairman)

Terry Dos Ramos      Joy Mann

Alex Hayward      Angela Roberts

Marie-Louise Nolan

Steven Halls, Chief Executive

14 March 2016

The Audit Committee welcomes contributions from members of the public to its discussion on agenda items.  Contributions will be limited to one person speaking for and one against each item for not more than three minutes.  Details of the procedure and the list for registering the wish to speak will be available for a short period before the meeting.

In accordance with The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 any matters considered under Part I business only of the meeting may be filmed, recorded, photographed, broadcast or reported via social media by any person.

Recording and reporting the Council’s meetings is subject to the law and it is the responsibility of those doing the recording and reporting to ensure compliance.  This will include the Human Rights Act, the Data Protection Act and the laws of libel and defamation.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 26 November 2015 (copy enclosed for Members of the Committee).

3. NOTICE OF OTHER BUSINESS

Items of other business notified under Council Procedure Rule 30 to be announced, together with the special circumstances that justify their consideration as a matter of urgency.  The Chairman to rule on the admission of such items.

4. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

To receive any declarations of interest.

5. EXTERNAL AUDITOR’S - CERTIFICATION WORK REPORT

This report allows the Committee to note the  2014/15 annual certification work letter from the Council’s external auditor (Grant Thornton)

6. FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY RISKS

This report enables the Committee to monitor financial and budgetary risks.

7. ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT - ACTION PLAN UPDATE

This report gives details of the progress in implementing the actions required resulting from the Annual Governance Statement.

8. CHANGES TO ACCOUNTING POLICIES

It is recommended practice that this Committee is informed of any significant changes to the Council’s accounting policies that are followed when compiling the annual statement of accounts. This report informs the Committee of any changes.

9. EXTERNAL AUDIT – REPORTS ON VALUE FOR MONEY, AUDIT PLAN 2015/16 AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUDIT COMMITTEE BRIEFING

This report allows the Committee to note and ask questions on the 3 reports from the Council’s recently appointed external auditors Ernst & Young LLP (EY).

10. INTERNAL AUDIT PLANS 2016/17

Attached are the proposed Internal Audit Plans for 2016/2017.

11. INTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS REPORT 2015/16

This report gives details of the progress made in implementing the recommendations of the internal auditor.

12. COMMITTEE'S WORK PROGRAMME

To review and make necessary changes to the Committee’s work programme

13. OTHER BUSINESS – if approved under item 3 above.

14. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

If any confidential business is approved under item 3, it will also be necessary to specify the class of exempt or confidential information in the additional item(s) and a resolution to be passed in the following terms:-

“that under Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item(s) of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined under the respective paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act”.

1. OTHER BUSINESS - if approved under item 3 above.