Agenda and minutes

None.

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 proposals being discussed by Governance and Audit Committee, you can submit your representation via this form

Please share your views by uploading a video or audio file (maximum of 4 minutes) or;

Please submit a written representation (via Microsoft Word, maximum of 500 words)

You will need to register for a My Monmouthshire account in order to submit the representation or use your log in, if you have registered previously.

The deadline for submitting representations to the Council is 5pm three clear working days in advance of the meeting.

If representations received exceed 30 minutes, a selection of these based on theme will be shared at the Governance and Audit Committee meeting. All representations received will be made available to councillors prior to the meeting.

The amount of time afforded to each member of the public to speak is at the chair’s discretion, but to enable us to accommodate multiple speakers, we ask that contributions be no longer than 3 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 wendybarnard3@monmouthshire.gov.uk

If you would like to suggest future topics for scrutiny by Governance and Audit Committee, please do so by emailing wendybarnard3@monmouthshire.gov.uk

None.

The action list from the previous meeting was noted.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=1RQQPHbpeTnHyUxi&t=68

1.    Finance Team capacity: OPEN

2.    People Strategy and Asset Management Strategy: OPEN

3.    Whole Authority Complaints Report: OPEN

4.    Strategic Risk Register: CLOSED

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

a)    Policy Governance Arrangements FOI, DP and DSAR: OPEN

b)    Corporate risk control policies: OPEN

6.    Draft Operational Plan: CLOSED

7.    Counter Fraud, Corruption and Bribery Policy:  OPEN

8.    Audit Wales Work Programme: Council Progress (in-year deficit and budget development): CLOSED

The Head of Finance presented the Treasury Report for Quarter 2.  Committee Members were invited to comment and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=E_lb1UygbK4OJef6&t=1561

As recommended, the Governance & Audit committee reviewed the treasury management activities and the performance achieved in the second quarter of 2023/24 as part of their delegated responsibility to provide scrutiny of treasury policy, strategy and activity on behalf of Council.  The Committee was content with the information provided.

(County Councillor Ann Webb from 14.54)

The Performance and Data Insight Manager presented a report on the Effectiveness of Strategic Risk Management Framework.  Following presentation of the report, Committee Members were invited to ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=joP9VITv3e-Xwz57&t=3725

As per the report recommendations, Members:

·         used the assessment to seek assurance about the effectiveness of the authority’s risk management arrangements; and

·         noted the possible further corporate risk control policies identified in 3.8 that the Committee could review and that a further update will be provided to the committee as part of the strategic risk management policy review in April 2024.

The Chief Officer, People, Performance and Partnerships presented the Ombudsman’s Annual Letter 2022/23.  Following presentation of the Letter, Committee Members were invited to comment and ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=pYdALkauoayCMhXb&t=4821

As detailed in the report recommendations:

·       Governance and Audit Committee noted the content of the Public Sector Ombudsman for Wales (PSOW) annual letter (Appendix 1) and confirmed that there were no matters required to be advised to the Ombudsman.

·       The authority continues to engage with the PSOW complaints standards work, access training for staff and provide the PSOW with complaints data.  It was noted that the authority has also fully implemented the PSOW’s model complaints policy.

The Solicitor presented a report on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA).  Following this, Committee Members were invited to ask questions.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=DxPE8rSJO4_HKWEv&t=5318

As per the report recommendations, the Committee received the report and noted its contents.

ACTION: Solicitor to provide the Committee with information:

·         on the legislation regarding the sale of nitrous oxide, the potential penalties for retailers and information on such items banned from sale outside of today’s meeting. 

·         on the legislation surrounding sale of vapes and vapes products and potential penalties

·         The use of social media accounts to detect fraud e.g. benefits.

The Forward Work Plan was noted.

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=Wk8wm-VWW-UIQcRo&t=5907

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

https://www.youtube.com/live/3GFB7JGWhrw?si=S9y1qllir1nRg0QK&t=5924