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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Bill Crease be permitted as a substitute for the meeting.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and supports the establishment of the Community Resilience Board.
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes the outcome of the Audit Wales report and supports and was assured by the actions to be taken to address the four recommendations made for Local Authorities.
RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the Treasury Management 2024/25 quarterly update.
RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the proposed governance structure.
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and approved the report including:- I. The first internal assessment against the Global Internal Audit Standards in UK Public Sector; and II. The Quality Assurance Improvement Programme.
RESOLVED: That the Committee was assured by the response to the external regulatory reports.
RESOLVED: That the update be noted.
RESOLVED: That the Committee approve the Flintshire Internal Audit Strategy and Audit Plan for 2025-2028.
RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be accepted; and (b) That the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That Councillor Bill Crease be permitted as a substitute for the meeting.
In line with Constitutional requirements, the Committee agreed to allow Councillor Bill Crease (who had undertaken the requisite training) to substitute for Councillor Jason Shallcross. RESOLVED: That Councillor Bill Crease be permitted as a substitute for the meeting.
None.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.
RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2025 be approved as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and supports the establishment of the Community Resilience Board.
The Service Manager (Housing, Welfare and Communities) presented a report (agenda item 4) which followed from previous reports of Flintshire’s action and response to Audit Wales report “‘Together we can’ Community resilience and self-reliance. It was suggested that consideration be given to reviewing the Terms of Reference for Overview & Scrutiny Committees to better align the Poverty Workstream to sit within the remit of one Overview & Scrutiny Committee if possible. The recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and supports the establishment of the Community Resilience Board.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes the outcome of the Audit Wales report and supports and was assured by the actions to be taken to address the four recommendations made for Local Authorities.
The Service Manager (Development) presented a report (agenda item 5) to give an overview of the Audit Wales review, their recommendations and the response to those recommendations and actions required It was suggested that the recommendation be amended to reflect that the Committee was assured by the actions to be taken to address the four recommendations made for Local Authorities. Subject to the amendment listed above, the recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee notes the outcome of the Audit Wales report and supports and was assured by the actions to be taken to address the four recommendations made for Local Authorities.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the Treasury Management 2024/25 quarterly update.
The Strategic Finance Manager presented the report (agenda item 6) which detailed the Council’s position in respect of investments and long and short term borrowing at the end of February, and provides an update on the economic context and an interest rate forecast. In response to a query on the final loan listed within the table on page 48 of the report, it was explained that there was a typo on the date listed and this would be amended in the report. Subject to the amendment listed above, the recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the Treasury Management 2024/25 quarterly update.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the proposed governance structure.
The Chief Officer (Governance) introduced the report (agenda item 7) on the governance structure for the transformation programme which was a key mitigation measure for the financial risks facing the council. A suggestion was made that the use of E-Forms be considered in order to gather views/suggestions on areas for consideration as part of the Transformation Programme. The recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee endorse the proposed governance structure.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and approved the report including:- I. The first internal assessment against the Global Internal Audit Standards in UK Public Sector; and II. The Quality Assurance Improvement Programme.
The Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager presented a report (agenda item 8) to provide an overview of the Standards and the first internal assessment against those standards in readiness for the implementation on the 1st April 2025. The new standards set out 5 domains and it was suggested that during the next self-assessment, the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager would explain what the domains meant in terms of the roles and responsibility of the Committee going forward. The recommendations were supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee notes and approved the report including:- I. The first internal assessment against the Global Internal Audit Standards in UK Public Sector; and II. The Quality Assurance Improvement Programme.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee was assured by the response to the external regulatory reports.
The Chief Executive presented a report (agenda item 9) which covered the national studies and bespoke local work of Audit Wales (AW) and the work of Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and Estyn in 2024/25. The summary report gave assurance that the regulatory reports had been considered and responded to and provided a progress update and RAG status for any reports the Council provided a response to during the previous year. The recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the Committee was assured by the response to the external regulatory reports.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the update be noted.
The Chief Officer (Governance) provided a verbal update on the appointment of a lay member to the Governance & Audit Committee following the resignation of Sally Ellis. The recommended appointment would be considered by County Council on 3 April 2025 and if supported, the new lay member would attend the next meeting of the Committee. The Chief Executive and Committee formally thanked Sally Ellis for her contribution to the Committee and the Council over a number of years. RESOLVED: That the update be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the Committee approve the Flintshire Internal Audit Strategy and Audit Plan for 2025-2028.
The Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager introduced a report (agenda item 11) which detailed the three-year Flintshire Internal Audit Strategy and Audit Plan, with the first year of the plan being completed in greater detail highlighting those audits that would be completed during the financial year 2025/26. It was confirmed that the three line model on thematic reviews would be shared with Senior Managers though the Chief Officer Team to ensure their understanding of their roles and responsibilities. When the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager started to produce her annual opinion, key themes of actions arising would be considered to assess whether additional work was required with Service Managers to understand their roles and responsibilities around expectations on internal controls. Also, an Induction Programme was being progressed for Service Managers which would cover key internal controls, risk management etc. RESOLVED: That the Committee approve the Flintshire Internal Audit Strategy and Audit Plan for 2025-2028.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
The Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager introduced the progress report (agenda item 12) which showed the position of the team against the plan, changes to the plan, final reports issued, action tracking, performance indicators and current investigations. It was agreed that an update would be requested from the Homelessness and Temporary Accommodation Service. Following a wider discussion around updates not being provided across a number of Portfolio’s along with the evidence to support the updates, the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager said that she would raise this with the Chief Officer Team. RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
The Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager presented the report (agenda item 13) on progress with actions from previous meetings of the Committee. The recommendation was supported. RESOLVED: That the report be accepted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be accepted; and (b) That the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.
The Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager presented the current Forward Work Programme for consideration. The recommendations were supported. RESOLVED: (a) That the Forward Work Programme be accepted; and (b) That the Internal Audit, Performance & Risk Manager, in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee, be authorised to vary the Forward Work Programme between meetings, as the need arises.
None.
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