Audit Committee - 24 March 2020

AUDIT COMMITTEE

NOTICE AND AGENDA

For a virtual meeting to be held on Tuesday 24 March 2020 at 7.30pm.

This meeting will be a virtual meeting.  If you would like any further information please contact the Committee Team by email at: CommitteeTeam@threerivers.gov.uk

Members of the Audit Committee:-

Councillors:-      Keith Martin (Chairman)

Joanna Clemens

Tony Humphreys

David Raw      Dominic Sokalski (Vice-Chairman)

Sarah Nelmes

Michael Revan

Joanne Wagstaffe, Chief Executive

16 March 2020

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 Legislation and the laws of libel and defamation.

1.  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2.  MINUTES

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the Audit Committee Meeting held on 3 December 2019.

3.  NOTICE OF ANY OTHER BUSINESS

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

4.  DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

To receive any declarations of interest.

5.  EXTERNAL AUDITORS REPORT

This will be a verbal report summarising the results of the External Auditor’s work on Three Rivers District Council’s 2017-18 housing benefits claim.

6.  EXTERNAL AUDITOR AUDIT PLAN 2019/20

This report allows the Committee to note and ask questions of the external auditor (Ernst & Young).

7.  FRAUD ANNUAL REPORT

This report informs members of the work of the Fraud Section for the financial year 2019 to date and provides updates on progress and developments.

8.  ACCOUNTING POLICIES 2019/20

Accounting Policies to be used in preparing the Council’s 2019/20 statement of accounts are set out in appendix.

9.  SIAS INTERNAL AUDIT PLANS 2020/21

This report provides Members with the proposed Three Rivers District Council and Shared Services 2020/21 Internal Audit Plans.

10.  INTERNAL AUDIT PROGRESS REPORT

Members are recommended to:

• Note the Internal Audit Progress Report for the period to 13 March 2020
• Agree changes to the implementation dates for 3 audit recommendations (Paragraph 2.5) for the reasons set out in Appendices 3 to 5
• Agree removal of implemented audit recommendations (Appendices 3 to 5)

11.  FINANCIAL AND BUDGETARY RISKS

This report advises the Committee on the latest position in respect of the evaluation of financial risks facing the Council for discussion and any recommendations/ comments they wish to make.

12.  COMMITTEE’S WORK PROGRAMME

To review and make necessary changes to the Audit Committee’s Work Programme

13.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

14.  EXCLUSION OF THE 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

General Enquiries: CommitteeTeam@threerivers.gov.uk