Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED – That the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted and reviewed in the near future.
RESOLVED – That the Work Programme be approved.
RESOLVED:- (i) That there will be a Welsh Language Standards information workshop on 16th February 2023. (ii) That priority must be given to the six key 2022/23 audits that have not yet commenced. (iii) That the Governance and Audit Committee (GAC) considered the report and once the Committee receives satisfactory explanations on the areas of concern then the GAC will be assured.
RESOLVED:- That the Governance and Audit Committee noted the contents of the risk and control register extracts and considered any matters that required further investigation. That the Governance and Audit Committee: a) Highlight to the Scrutiny Coordinating Group the static red risk for the line FI002 that stated budgets were overspent corporately by departments within the context of the Audit Wales high level review of the arrangements of the open sharing of information through Committees, which recommended that scrutiny committees increase their scrutiny of budgets. b) Make a recommendation back to the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee to investigate the trends in sickness absence because it was highlighted as static within the risk register and usually the trends would fluctuate during the seasons. c) If required, the Chair of the committee to raise a scrutiny topic request form on the budget monitoring and sickness issues to the relevant Scrutiny Committees.
RESOLVED:- (i) That the Governance and Audit Committee were able to meet its Terms of Reference (1-2 and 10-11) with respect to the council’s compliance with the Code of Governance. (ii) That future Annual Governance Statements to the include measures which would demonstrate improvements had been achieved.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Trevor Bates.
Members discussed the following: · The new CIPFA guidance has been received and will be distributed to Committee Members. · It was confirmed that the CIPFA Audit Committee guidance training for Committee members has been set for 17th January 2023.This will be virtual 4pm – 6 pm. · It was confirmed that the Governance and Audit Committee had a different role to the Scrutiny Committees and Members were satisfied with the Complaints Policy because it was recommended by the Ombudsman and Members had to be assured that it was administered in accordance with that principle. · It was agreed that future Complaint reports to be received by the Governance and Audit Committee prior to the relevant Scrutiny Committee. · It was advised that the Audit Committee Performance Self- Assessment be referred to the All Audit Wales Governance and Audit Committee Chairs network. · Members requested a detailed six monthly procurement exemption report that explained the background, the relevant processes and trends that had been applied to the approved exemptions within that reporting period. RESOLVED: – (i) That future Complaint reports to be received by the Governance and Audit Committee prior to the Scrutiny Committee. (ii) That the Governance and Audit Committee received a detailed six monthly report on approved procurement exemptions. (iii) That the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 15 December 2022 be signed as a correct record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – That the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted and reviewed in the near future.
The Terms of Reference was submitted for information. Members discussed the following: · A Member enquired if the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of reference could be reviewed in the near future. · It was confirmed that there would be a CIPFA guidance workshop taking place in January 2023 that would cover the Governance and Audit Committees Terms of Reference. RESOLVED – That the Governance and Audit Committee Terms of Reference be noted and reviewed in the near future.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED – That the Work Programme be approved.
RESOLVED – That the Work Programme be approved.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED:- (i) That there will be a Welsh Language Standards information workshop on 16th February 2023. (ii) That priority must be given to the six key 2022/23 audits that have not yet commenced. (iii) That the Governance and Audit Committee (GAC) considered the report and once the Committee receives satisfactory explanations on the areas of concern then the GAC will be assured.
The Chief Officer for Finance and ICT submitted a report asking Members to consider the Internal Audit Interim Report between April to November 2022. The Head of Service and Technical introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. During consideration of the report the following matters were discussed: · It was explained that the anomaly of the school staff appointment related to an employee that was already employed at the Council and that it was the job title that had not been completed properly. In result the employee’s salary had not been paid from the correct School budget. · The staff anomaly was identified as part of the audit testing during Covid where the auditor cross checked between the School’s staff list and the personnel records held by Human Resources. Members were assured that there was no DBS issue, it was a unique finding and the processes were now in place at the School. · Members raised concerns regarding the timescales to implement and respond to the audit recommendations for the Compliance of the Welsh Language Standards review. · The Lead Auditor explained that: a) The scope of the Welsh Language Standards audit was to ensure that all Council employees were trained and equipped to comply with the Welsh Language Standards when dealing with external telephone calls. b) No issues were raised with the Contact Centre but compliance was not as good as it should have been in the other Departments that had been reviewed. · A Member advised to Link the performance management with the Welsh language process by providing incremental incentives and highlighted that there was a need to embed the Welsh culture into Wrexham Council so as to attract and recruit Welsh speaking staff. · The Chief Officer Finance and ICT reassured Members that the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) had considered a paper recently that had reinforced the Welsh Language which provided clear instructions to staff on how to follow the Welsh Language Standards whilst answering the telephone. · It was explained that as part of the Scrutiny Committee function compliance and the wider performance aspects throughout the Council would address some of the points outlined in the resultant Welsh Language Standards audit. · The Welsh Language was a statutory requirement and the Governance and Audit Committee wanted to be satisfied that this requirement had been addressed. · Members were informed that a Welsh Language Monitoring Report will be reported to the next Executive Meeting that will pick up some of the wider issues that the Committee Members had raised during the meeting. · The delegated Officer will be invited to the Governance and Audit Committee pre meeting on the 16th February 2023 where they can appraise the Committee with some of the issues that have been raised at the meeting and to provide a Welsh Language Standards presentation. · It was confirmed that the internal audit assessment that was carried out for Carmarthenshire was a peer review and that it was not linked to income generation. · The Audit Lead informed Members that: a) He would report back to Members when the last comprehensive Payroll Audit took place. b) The current Payroll review had commenced and that it will resume in the New Year and that there was enough capacity for those audits that had not yet commenced to be completed before the end of March 2023. · It was confirmed that Governor Training was a school themed audit and it was the only scheduled themed Audit that was planned for 2022/23. · The Special investigation that was linked to the housing investment audit will be reported to the Committee at a future meeting. · Members requested an update on the six key 2022/23 planned audits that have been delayed. · It was explained that the scope for the Children’s Social Care Compliance work involved areas of high spend and Internal Audit wanted to ensure that there were processes in place. RESOLVED:- (i) That there will be a Welsh Language Standards information workshop on 16th February 2023. (ii) That priority must be given to the six key 2022/23 audits that have not yet commenced. (iii) That the Governance and Audit Committee (GAC) considered the report and once the Committee receives satisfactory explanations on the areas of concern then the GAC will be assured.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED:- That the Governance and Audit Committee noted the contents of the risk and control register extracts and considered any matters that required further investigation. That the Governance and Audit Committee: a) Highlight to the Scrutiny Coordinating Group the static red risk for the line FI002 that stated budgets were overspent corporately by departments within the context of the Audit Wales high level review of the arrangements of the open sharing of information through Committees, which recommended that scrutiny committees increase their scrutiny of budgets. b) Make a recommendation back to the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee to investigate the trends in sickness absence because it was highlighted as static within the risk register and usually the trends would fluctuate during the seasons. c) If required, the Chair of the committee to raise a scrutiny topic request form on the budget monitoring and sickness issues to the relevant Scrutiny Committees.
The Chief Executive submitted a report (CE/65/22) that highlighted the Council’s work in managing its Risk and Control Registers and how the Council’s risks were being managed. The Head of Service, Performance, Improvement and Partnerships Service (PIPS) introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. A detailed discussion ensured and the following points were raised: · Members requested that the layout for the risk and control register be revised to include quarterly trends that would focus on the amber and red risks and that the layout of the Risk Register tables be more accessible to readers. · The Head of Service, PIPS explained the layout of the risk registers that were outlined within the report and confirmed that the tables would be reviewed. · A Member highlighted the importance of categorising risk and that: a) The Council could only do what was available to mitigate those risks; and b) Committee Members required assurance that the mitigating control measures were correct according to the risk. · Members were assured that during Departmental Management Team Meetings the risk registers would be discussed and reviewed and Chief Officers would also be part of the mitigation process which in result formed part of the Council’s business and improvement planning processes. · Completed Departmental Risk Registers will be sent to the Performance Improvements and Partnerships (PIPS) team. Should there be an area of concern feedback would be provided to the relevant Chief Officer straight away. · Reference was made to the Appendix that detailed risks as of 30 September 2022 (Q2). It was highlighted that there were a number of amber boxes that had not been completed. Members were assured that feedback would be brought back to the relevant Chief Officers. · The Chief Officer for Education and Early intervention will be contacted regarding the two red risks regarding the vulnerable learners where it was highlighted that there were no extra mitigations. · It was explained that Priority Performance Boards were in place to monitor progress against the Council priorities and the Senior Leadership Teams meetings that also included Chief Officers would also discuss and horizon scan the relevant risks relating to the Council. · A Member enquired as to why recruitment and retention at the Council was considered to be categorised as a green risk as at October 2022. · The Head of Service, PIPS will report back to Members regarding the exact date when the scoring matrix was comprehensively reviewed. · A new Corporate Performance and Risk Management System was currently being procured with the aim that it would link all of the Councils risks, priorities, strategies, plans and projects together which in turn would enable Officers to provide reporting efficiencies. · Members were assured that the health and safety reviews, the personal review and development (PRD) meetings with Managers and various projects were examples of risk control mechanisms throughout the Council. · The Chair and the Head of Service and Technical will communicate with the Audit Wales Manager regarding budget monitoring processes. RESOLVED:- That the Governance and Audit Committee noted the contents of the risk and control register extracts and considered any matters that required further investigation. That the Governance and Audit Committee: a) Highlight to the Scrutiny Coordinating Group the static red risk for the line FI002 that stated budgets were overspent corporately by departments within the context of the Audit Wales high level review of the arrangements of the open sharing of information through Committees, which recommended that scrutiny committees increase their scrutiny of budgets. b) Make a recommendation back to the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee to investigate the trends in sickness absence because it was highlighted as static within the risk register and usually the trends would fluctuate during the seasons. c) If required, the Chair of the committee to raise a scrutiny topic request form on the budget monitoring and sickness issues to the relevant Scrutiny Committees.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED:- (i) That the Governance and Audit Committee were able to meet its Terms of Reference (1-2 and 10-11) with respect to the council’s compliance with the Code of Governance. (ii) That future Annual Governance Statements to the include measures which would demonstrate improvements had been achieved.
The Chief Executive submitted a report (CE/67/22) asking the Governance and Audit Committee (GAC): a) To review the progress against the three significant improvement areas identified in the Annual Governance Statement (AGS) for the year ended 31 March 2022; and b) To consider assurance provided by the Governance Officer Group on the Council’s compliance with its local Code of Governance and effectiveness of the governance framework. The Head of Service Performance, Improvement and Partnerships introduced the report and highlighted the main points within it. During consideration of the report the following matters were discussed: · The Governance and Audit Committee required assurance that the Council was monitoring and was on track with the agreed AGS actions and that the impact of those action areas were being assessed. It was highlighted that the AGS action plans would need to be tested to ensure that they were delivering the desired outcomes which would provide evidence of an effective Governance Framework, and Members requested that officers include success measures of outcomes showing improvement within the next Annual Governance Statement (AGS) report. · Members were assured that that the assurance regarding the agreed AGS action points would be looked at going forward. · Members were assured that the outcomes from the AGS were being monitored and that there were ways of linking them without duplication and they will be reflected in the next AGS report. · It was confirmed that the Counter Fraud Strategy had been reported back to the Governance and Audit Committee. RESOLVED:- (i) That the Governance and Audit Committee were able to meet its Terms of Reference (1-2 and 10-11) with respect to the council’s compliance with the Code of Governance. (ii) That future Annual Governance Statements to the include measures which would demonstrate improvements had been achieved.
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.
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