Venue: Council Chamber, Pathfinder House, St Mary's Street, Huntingdon, PE29 3TN
Contact: Miss H Ali, Democratic Services Officer, Tel No 01480 388006/e-mail: Habbiba.Ali@huntsdc.gov.uk
No. | Item |
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To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 24th June 2008. Contact: Miss H Ali 388006 Minutes: The Minutes of the meeting of the Panel held on 24th June 2008 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman. |
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MEMBERS' INTERESTS To receive from Members declarations as to personal and/or prejudicial interests and the nature of those interests in relation to any Agenda Item. Please see Notes 1 and 2 overleaf. Minutes: No declarations were received. |
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HOUSING BENEFIT FRAUD INVESTIGATION ACTIVITY PDF 71 KB To consider a report by the Head of Customer Services summarising the activity of the Benefits Fraud Investigation Team over the past three years. Contact: Mrs J Barber 388105 Minutes: Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Customer Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) summarising the activity of the Benefits Fraud Investigation Team over the previous three years.
In noting details of the activity undertaken by the Team over the 2005 to 2008 period, the Panel were encouraged to note the level of partnership working being undertaken by the Team with a range of agencies including the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs, the Police Authority, the Customs and Borders Agency and the National Health Service.
Having recognised the level of performance achieved by the Benefits Fraud Investigation Team, the Panel
RESOLVED
(a) that the contents of the report be noted; and
(b) that future reports on the activity of the Benefits Fraud Investigation Team be submitted to the Panel. |
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INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICE ANNUAL REPORT PDF 166 KB To consider a report by the Audit and Risk Manager on the Internal Audit Service Annual Report. Contact: D Harwood 388115 Minutes: The Panel received a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) which contained his opinion on aspects of the Council’s systems of internal control and which summarised the progress made against the 2007/08 Annual Audit Plan and the performance standards achieved.
Members noted the Audit and Risk Manager’s conclusions in relation to the level of assurance provided by those areas of the Council’s internal control environment which had been the subject of evaluation by the Internal Audit Service. The Panel were encouraged to note the improvement that had been made in terms of the implementation of agreed audit actions and noted that the Chief Officer Management Team monitored outstanding audit actions on a quarterly basis.
RESOLVED
that the report and statement be noted. |
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To receive a report by the Audit and Risk Manager providing an update on the Risk Register. Contact: D Harwood 388115 Minutes: With the aid of a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel was acquainted with changes made to the Risk Register between the period 1st April to 31st August 2008 inclusive.
RESOLVED
that the contents of the report be noted. |
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RISK MANAGEMENT UPDATE Minutes: (The Chairman announced that he proposed to admit the following urgent Item in accordance with Section 100B (4) (d) of the Local Government Act 1972 given the need for the Panel to consider the report prior to considering the approval of the Council’s Governance Statement.)
With the assistance of a report by the Audit and Risk Manager (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) the Panel was acquainted with progress made to embed risk management within the Council organisation. Members noted the work undertaken to improve the Council’s current “Use of Resources” rating to level 3 against the risk management standard. Having acknowledged the role of the Risk Management Group in the work undertaken during the previous year, it was
RESOLVED
that the contents of the report be noted. |
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REVIEW OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PANEL PDF 125 KB To receive a report by the Head of Financial Services outlining the findings of the Panel’s review the effectiveness of the Corporate Governance Panel. Contact: S Couper 388103 Minutes: Pursuant to Minute No. 08/09, the Panel received a report by the Head of Financial Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) detailing the outcome of a review of the Panel’s own effectiveness against CIPFA’s best practice guidance for Audit Committees.
In noting details of a workshop that had been held for Panel Members in August 2008 and having drawn the Panel’s attention to identified areas for improvement, it was
RESOLVED
(a) that the outcome of the review be noted; and
(b) that the Action Plan prepared to address the areas for improvement be approved. |
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PROTOCOL BETWEEN THE LEADER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE PDF 48 KB To consider a report by the Head of Administration, seeking the Panel’s approval of a protocol for the relationship between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive. Contact: R Reeves 388003 Additional documents: Minutes: Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Administration (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) proposing the adoption of a protocol for the relationship between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive.
The Panel were advised that the CIPFA/SOLACE publication on “Good Governance in Local Government” recommended the development of a protocol as good practice. Additionally, it was noted that the adoption of the protocol was an outstanding issue identified in the Council’s Governance Statement.
The Head of Administration drew the Panels’ attention to minor textural amendments that had been made to the protocol since its circulation and apprised Members with the comments that had been made on it by the Leader of the Council. Having sought further clarification on protocol 3.7 at a future meeting, the Panel
RESOLVED
that the protocol for the relationship between the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive as now amended be approved. |
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GOVERNANCE STATEMENT PDF 63 KB To consider a report by the Head of Policy and Strategic Services on the Governance Statement for 2008/09. Contact: H Thackray 388035 Additional documents: Minutes: Consideration was given to a report by the Head of Policy and Strategic Services (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book) on the outcome of the annual review of the Council’s governance arrangements. In addition, the Chairman reminded the Panel that they had taken part in the annual review of governance arrangements which was the basis of updating the Annual Governance Statement. The Panel discussed the Governance Statement, which had been prepared on behalf of the Chief Executive and Leader of the Council, summarised the corporate governance work carried out in 2007/08 and identified matters to be addressed during 2008/09. The Panel noted that the Director of Commerce and Technology had endorsed the Statement in respect of the Council’s system of internal control and having received similar assurances from the External Auditor, it was
RESOLVED
that the Governance Statement prepared by the Chief Executive, Leader of the Council and Director of Commerce and Technology on behalf of the Council for 2008/09 be endorsed and countersigned by the Chairman of the Panel. |
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APPROVAL FOR PUBLICATION OF THE 2007/08 ACCOUNTS PDF 61 KB To consider a report by the Head of Financial Services setting out the processes to be completed before the Council’s accounts for 2007/08 can be published.
The documents highlighted within paragraph 2.1 of the report will be circulated to Panel Members as soon as they are available. Contact: S Couper 388103 Additional documents:
Minutes: The Panel considered the draft accounts for the year 2007/08 (a copy of which is appended in the Minute Book). Having considered the Council’s letter of representation, Members were informed by Mrs L Sandford that an unqualified opinion would be provided on the accounts.
Whereupon, it was
RESOLVED
(a) that the letter of representation be approved and the Director of Commerce and Technology be authorised to sign it on behalf of the Council;
(b) that the auditor’s report be received and the appended Action Plan for dealing with the matters highlighted noted; and
(c) that the revised set of accounts now submitted be approved for publication. |