Agenda and draft 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 were present.

The Action List from the previous meeting was noted.  There were no items outstanding.

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=2nw5BjQFEZwZjfhP

Audit Wales Officers presented the Monmouthshire Audit Wales Annual Summary 2024.  Committee Members were then invited to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=Mvo9r16v_l1qoA-_&t=1499

Thie summary report was noted.

Audit Wales Officers presented the Audit Wales Counter Fraud Arrangements Review. The Management Response was provided by the Acting Chief Internal Auditor.  Committee Members were given the opportunity to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=IsMuWJRPLx58P0PM&t=1647

The Review and Management Response was noted.  The completion rate for the mandatory Anti-Fraud, Corruption and Bribery training for all staff was queried. It was agreed to add this point to the Action List/Forward Work Programme in liaison with the Action Chief Internal Auditor. Updated statistics were requested for a future meeting. [ACTION]

The Performance and Data Insight Manager presented the Effectiveness of Strategic Risk Assessment report. Members were invited to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=z2HUJodeKAXjMSWy&t=2932

As per the report recommendations, Members used the assessment to seek assurance about the effectiveness of the authority’s risk management arrangements.

The Head of Information Technology and Security, and Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO) and the Data Protection and Information Manager presented a report on Freedom of Information, Data Protection Breaches and Data Subject Access Requests. Following presentation of the report, Members were invited to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=Mre-eZgWHMmwbT5K&t=432

As contained in the report recommendations, Members scrutinised, reviewed and assessed the Council’s arrangements for managing and responding to information requests and breaches and considered the adequacy and effectiveness of those arrangements.

Torfaen Head of Internal Audit presented the SRS Annual Report and Internal Audit Plan

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=oWb4t7GERhIoXQCX&t=90

As per the report recommendations, Members noted the overall opinion provided by the Torfaen Head of Internal Audit and the intended coverage for 2025/26.

The Acting Chief Internal Auditor presented the Internal Audit Annual Report 2024/25.  Following presentation of the report, Members of the Committee were invited to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=rMeq7OkIRt4qBaEk&t=3564

As contained in the report recommendations, the Governance and Audit Committee received, commented on and endorsed the Annual Report.

The Head of Finance and Finance Business Partner Corporate presented the Treasury Outturn Report 2024/25. Following presentation of the report, Committee Members were invited to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=AVsybpI7-cKdAZf-&t=4633

As per the report recommendations the Governance & Audit Committee reviewed the results of treasury management activities and the performance achieved in quarter 4 and throughout 2024/25 as part of their delegated responsibility to provide scrutiny of treasury policy, strategy and activity on behalf of Council.

The Head of HR presented the Whistleblowing report. Following presentation of the report, Committee members were given the opportunity to ask questions:

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=chHKuB9KN3yZVEdC&t=1336

As per the report recommendations, the Members noted the information contained in the report.

The Forward Work Plan was noted.

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=SzBZo-sQ66Cx-ksd

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

https://www.youtube.com/live/84u5cQfkVkY?si=QqEP8ZI0-Hpnzgs4&t=5412