Wrthi'n llwytho
Does dim crynodeb o'r cyfarfod hwn eto. Caiff un ei ysgrifennu pan fydd y cyngor yn cyhoeddi'r cofnodion. Mae'r agenda a'r papurau isod.
1.1 Apologies were received from Nigel Aurelius, Deputy Chief Executive, David Lilly, Director – Financial Services and Tom Roberts, Business & Democratic Support Services Manager.
2.1 Members made the following declarations of personal interest: • Councillor Ashley – In receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund. • Councillor Peter Jones – Wife is in receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund. • Michael Kelleher – In receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund. • Kathryn Pegington – Husband is in receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund. • Mark Rees – In receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund. • Councillor Williams – In receipt of a pension from the Greater Gwent (Torfaen) Pension Fund and is a member of the Pensions Committee.
3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 18 January 2023 were confirmed as an accurate record.
4.1 The Committee noted the action sheet.
5.1 The SCI&SO outlined the report, which enabled members of the Committee to review the actions proposed and progress achieved against previously received recommendations. 5.2 The SCI&SO confirmed that one new relevant external audit report had been received since the Committee received its last update in January 2023. The report was a national study entitled ‘Together we can’ – Community resilience and self-reliance and was outlined in paragraph 4.2 of the report. 5.3 The SCI&SO explained that scrutiny committees would review the progress made against the referrals received by the Governance and Audit Committee during June / July 2023, and progress would be updated at the next meeting of the Governance and Audit Committee. 5.4 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note: (i) The progress made, as set out in the Action Plan (attached as appendix one to the report) to ensure appropriate action was being taken to address recommendations previously accepted by the Council with regards to its governance arrangements; and (ii) The addition and removal of regulatory reports that would be monitored by the Council’s overview and scrutiny committees.
6.1 The SCI&SO outlined the report on the progress made during the past year to improve the Council’s processes for the management and monitoring of identified risks. 6.2 The SCI&SO highlighted the changes made to the risk management process during the past year, outlined within paragraph 4.2 of the report, and confirmed that quarters 2 and 3 had been monitored under the new process. She added that it was important to keep reviewing the process in order to identify any potential improvements. 6.3 The SCI&SO confirmed that there were 16 new risks on the risk register, out of a total of 54 risks; however it was important to note that previously the register did not include service level risks as these were monitored within the service area. This had changed bringing a greater emphasis on all risks regardless of the tier they sat under. 6.4 Following questions from the Committee, the SCI&SO made the following points: • All risks continued to be monitored and mitigations were explored, including those categorised as tolerable. • The risk register did not have automated features and alerts; however the new numeric feature used enabled risk scores to be calculated every quarter in order to identify the level of change that had occurred. The fact that the spreadsheet was searchable was also beneficial. • The SCI&SO confirmed that risk reference numbers and the ordering within the register would continue to be monitored. It was a working document, and any improvements would be considered. • New risks were added per quarter; however the SCI&SO agreed to share a copy of the 16 new risks referred to within the report with members of the Committee. • Directorates and service areas were asked for their risks, scores and mitigating activities, but not costings. The HoIA&P added that any significant financial value would be referred to within the commentary on the risk register, otherwise they would be cost neutral. 6.5 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note the progress made to date to further embed a process across all directorates for the identification of any risks facing the Council; and the management and monitoring of those identified risks on a quarterly basis throughout the year.
7.1 CD outlined the quarterly update and Annual Audit Summary 2022 and focussed specifically on the financial audit work, performance audit work and local government national studies that were planned / in progress. 7.2 CD confirmed that the local risk-based project (page 94 of the agenda) and local project on waste management (page 96 of the agenda) had concluded and would soon be shared with officers of the Council. 7.3 JR confirmed that since the last meeting of the Committee, the Auditor General for Wales had signed off the Council’s Statement of Accounts 2021/22. She added that 5 out of the 6 audits of the Council’s 2021-22 grant returns (page 94 of the agenda) had been completed, with the Housing Benefit audit expected to be completed soon. 7.4 Following a question from the Committee, CD confirmed that the report regarding the local project on waste management would be shared with officers of the Council by the following week regarding accuracy and any further evidence, and he expected it to be published within 3-4 weeks. 7.5 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note progress made delivering Audit Wales’s Local and National work programmes. 7.6 The SCI&SO left the meeting.
8.1 The HoIA&P outlined the report, which provided a quarterly update on the progress made to date against the Annual Operational Plan for 2022/23. The progress in terms of jobs completed and planned to date was outlined in Appendix A of the report, and the opinions on the work carried out to date. 8.2 The HoIA&P was pleased to confirm that since the report had been published both targets of 65% against the overall plan and 100% against the core plan had been achieved. He added that that the annual report and overall opinion would be presented to members of the Committee during their June 2023 meeting. 8.3 The HoIA&P confirmed that there were no significant issues to raise with the Committee and that there had been no high priority recommendations identified during the current audits undertaken. 8.4 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note the content of the report.
9.1 The HoIA&P outlined the report, which provided the detail of the areas to be covered in the draft Internal Audit Plan for 2023/24. 9.2 The HoIA&P confirmed that the draft plan was currently out for consultation with strategic directors and service areas. The three strands on which the draft plan had been constructed and the estimated level of resources required were outlined in paragraphs 5.1 and 5.2 of the report. The Internal Audit Charter was available in Appendix B of the report and there were very few changes to the previous version. 9.3 Following questions from the Committee, the HoIA&P made the following points: • With regards to individual audits, face-to-face meetings were held where necessary; however the current hybrid approach was working very well. • The draft plan was flexible and items from the Risk Register could be built into the plan if required. • A variety of intelligence was used by the Internal Audit Team, such as knowledge of service areas, good relationships with departments, the Risk Register, committee reports and researching other local authorities. 9.4 Members of the Committee commented that they were reassured by the forward-thinking approach and significant emphasis on high risk areas within the draft plan. 9.5 The Governance and Audit Committee approved the draft 2023/24 Internal Audit plan.
10.1 The HoIA&P outlined the report and invited members of the Committee to discuss whether a self-assessment of the effectiveness of the Governance & Audit Committee should be carried out. 10.2 The HoIA&P explained that either a full or partial self-assessment could be carried out and the results would be collated for a subsequent feedback discussion of the output. 10.3 The Chair confirmed that she had undertaken the partial self-assessment at a network event and as a lay member it highlighted some areas where she would benefit from an increased knowledge. 10.4 Following a discussion, members of the Committee agreed that a self-assessment exercise would be beneficial and that a partial self-assessment should be carried out in the first instance. 10.5 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed: (i) It would be beneficial to undertake a self-assessment exercise; and (ii) A partial exercise should be undertaken.
11.1 The HoIA&P outlined the report, which provided an update on the PSIAS external review and the QAIP. 11.2 The HoIA&P confirmed that the South West Audit Partnership (SWAP) had undertaken the assessment in December 2017, and they had been engaged to undertake the latest review during the first quarter of the 2023/24 financial year. 11.3 Following a question from the Committee, the HoIA&P confirmed that the findings and overall conclusion of the above assessment would be reported to a future meeting of the Committee. 11.4 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note: (i) The proposed approach to the PSIAS review; (ii) The current action plan; and (iii) The QAIP process.
12.1 The HoIA&P presented the work programme and was pleased to confirm that all of the items contained within it had been considered by the Governance and Audit Committee throughout the year. He added that next year’s programme would be presented during the June 2023 meeting of the Committee. 12.2 The Governance and Audit Committee agreed to note the content of the work programme.
13.1 The next meeting is scheduled to take place on 28 June 2023. 13.2 The meeting closed at 11.10am.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.