Agenda and minutes

No declarations of interest were made.

Governance and Audit Committee Public Open Forum Guidance

Our Governance and Audit Committee meetings are live streamed and a link to the live stream will be available on the meeting page of the Monmouthshire County Council website

If you would like to share your thoughts on any matters being discussed by Governance and Audit Committee, you may attend the meeting in person (or join remotely via Microsoft Teams), or submit written representations (via Microsoft Word, maximum of 500 words).

The deadline for submitting representations to the Council is 5pm three clear working days in advance of the meeting.  All representations received will be made available to the committee members prior to the meeting.

The amount of time afforded to each member of the public to speak is at the Committee Chair’s discretion.  We ask that contributions are no longer than 4 minutes.

If you would like to attend one of our meetings to speak under the Public Open Forum at the meeting, you will need to give three working days’ notice by contacting GACRegistertoSpeak@monmouthshire.gov

If you would like to suggest future topics for consideration by Governance and Audit Committee, please do so by emailing GACRegistertoSpeak@monmouthshire.gov.uk

No members of the public had requested to participate in the meeting.

The action list from the previous meeting was noted:

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=ViAY1YXYDR0aJlXW&t=44

1.     Finance Team capacity: OPEN

2.     People Strategy and Asset Management Strategy: OPEN

3.     Whole Authority Complaints Report: OPEN

4.     Strategic Risk Register: OPEN

5.     Freedom of Information, Data Protection and Data Subject Access Requests:

a)     Mandatory training: CLOSED

b)     Policy Governance Arrangements OPEN

c)     Corporate risk control policies: OPEN

6.     Draft Operational Plan: OPEN

7.     Governance and Audit Committee Self Assessment: CLOSED

8.     Annual Statement of Accounts, pension liability information: CLOSED

9.     Draft Self-Assessment report: CLOSED

The Counter Fraud, Corruption and Bribery Policy was presented by the Chief Internal Auditor. 

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=GCpz2l-t4L9rnUF5&t=364

ACTIONS:

1.      Deputy Chief Executive to raise with the Head of HR, and report back accordingly:

i)                 How concerns are raised under the Whistle Blowing Policy and whether consideration will be given to receipt of concerns at independent board or other appropriate level, also:

ii)                Taking into account the terms of reference of this committee, how best to report on instances of whistleblowing.

2.     Deputy Chief Executive to circulate to the Committee The Auditor General for Wales’ report ‘Raising Our Game’ – Tackling Fraud in Wales.

3.     Chief Internal Auditor to add periodic updates to the Forward Work Programme.

As per the report recommendations, the Governance and Audit Committee provided comment before endorsing the revised Counter Fraud, Corruption and Bribery Policy for Cabinet approval.

County Councillor P. Murphy left the meeting at 14.26

The Audit Wales Officers presented the Audit Wales Work programme and timetable Q1 update.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

.https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=XhIduzvQ-gfx_uwz&t=1515

The report was noted.

The Data Analyst presented the Council’s Progress against the Audit Wales Work programme. Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=G0V6ZfOtO6jQmBcE&t=2132

ACTIONS:

1.     Deputy Chief Executive to provide the Committee an update on work in progress on the in year deficit, and budget development in terms of the robustness of the process.

In line with the report recommendations:

1.     Members scrutinised the council’s response to the Audit Wales work programme, and sought assurance that adequate progress is being made; and.

2.     Noted the facility to refer any issues contained within Audit Wales national study to other committees for consideration where they identify there are findings of particular relevance to the council that need further scrutiny.

Charlotte Owen left  the meeting at 14.45

County Councillor A. Webb left the meeting at 14.50

The Audit Wales Officer presented the Audit Wales Grants Report.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=XZ0WjuAjhtoMHnIt&t=2737

The report was noted.

The Audit Wales Officer presented the Annual Audit Plan 2022-23 Welsh Church Funds.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=n1a8xG8M_8WYbXT_&t=3006

The report was noted.

The Chief Internal Auditor presented the CPR Exemptions Report up to 30^th September 2023.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=HB9kuDYiRWs-AexZ&t=3182

The report was noted. The Committee was unable to agree the recommendations at 2.1 and looks forward to improvements in the process in due course.

The Chief Internal Auditor presented the Internal Audit Quarterly Progress Report.  Members were invited to make comments and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=ijWD-yVoyctlcJbb&t=3887

As in the report recommendations:

1.     The Committee considered and noted the audit opinions issued; and

2.     Noted the progress made by the Section towards meeting the 2023/24 Operational Audit Plan and the Section’s performance indicators at the 6-month stage of the financial year which are currently ahead of the profiled target.

County Councillor P. Murphy rejoined the meeting at 15.10

The Forward Work Plan was noted with the additions mentioned in the meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=O-_BYyUJubXAd36J&t=4837

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as an accurate record. 

https://www.youtube.com/live/F1tl-spRWnc?si=NmfzcNH8ig9pQuQW&t=4861

The next meeting was moved to Monday 4^th December 2023 at 2pm.