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There is no summary of this meeting yet. One is written once the council publishes the minutes. The agenda and papers are below.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City and County of Swansea, the following interests were declared: - Councillor P R Hood-Williams and Julie Davies, Lay Member declared personal interests in Minute No.23 – Brangwyn Hall Audit Report 2024-2025.
Resolved that the Minutes of the previous meeting(s) of the Governance & Audit Committee were approved as a correct record.
Simon Cockings, Chief Auditor presented a ‘for information’ report which summarised the work completed by Internal Audit in 2024/25 and included the Chief Auditor’s opinion for 2024/25. The Internal Audit Plan 2024/25 up to 31 March 2025, was provided at Appendix A. A complete list of audits finalised during 2024/25, along with the assurance level awarded and the number of recommendations made and accepted, was provided at Appendix 2 and the performance indicators for 2024/25 were detailed in Appendix 3. An extract from the external peer review report provided by Blaenau Gwent Council was provided at Appendix 4. Details of the following were provided: - · Review of 2024/25. · Follow up work completed. · Performance indicators. · Quality assurance and improvement programme and Statement of Conformance with the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS). · Statement of Conformance with the Global Internal Audit Standards and the Application Note · Statement of Conformance with the CIPFA Code of Practice for the Governance of Internal Audit in Local Government. · Statement of organisational independence. · The Chief Auditor’s opinion for 2024/25 based on the work completed in 2024/25. The Chief Auditor highlighted that staff sickness in the Internal Audit Team had been significant during 2024/25, with a total of 123 days lost due to sickness absence. A further 238 days were also lost due to vacant posts in the year, which were successfully filled during the year. He added that despite the challenges faced by the Internal Audit Team, it was pleasing to report that 76% of the 2024/25 plan had been completed. He thanked the Team for their continued support, dedication and hard work throughout what had been another challenging year. The Committee discussed the following: - · Review of meaningful performance indicators by the Welsh Chief Internal Auditors / developing a suite of local performance indicators, which the Chief Auditor would discuss with the Corporate Management Team (CMT). · CMT Action Plan – External quality assessment and continuing with the existing model, as agreed by CMT. · Audit scopes. · Improved outlook due to Internal Audit vacancies being filled. · The Council’s compliance with risk and the fact that the new Risk Management System had been implemented in late March which the Committee needed to have oversight of through 2025/26. · The awaited outcome of the Audit Wales report into cyber security. The Chair thanked the Chief Auditor for the report and thanked the Internal Audit Team for their work throughout the year.
The Chief Auditor presented ‘for information’ the draft Governance and Audit Committee Annual Report for the 2024/25 Municipal Year for the Committee to review and comment upon prior to the final report being presented to Council on 3 September 2025. The Committee highlighted the following: - · Adding a paragraph in Section 4 relating to regulatory changes. · Paragraph 2.5 – amend the wording relating to the word ‘draft’. · Paragraph 5.2 – amend the final sentence. The Chief Auditor highlighted that the new global standards had been highlighted in the updated terms of reference. The suggested amendments would be included in the final report to Council.
Tracey McNulty, Head of Cultural Services, Parks & Cleansing, Grant McFarlane, Manager Swansea Theatres and Tracy Ellicott, Brangwyn Hall Manager presented a ‘for information’ report which provided an update on the Brangwyn Hall Audit Report 2024/25. The report had received a moderate assurance level. It was outlined that the report addressed the 1 x High Risk (HR) and 6 x Medium Risks (MR) within the Final Internal Audit Report. All other reported risks were either Low Risk (LR) or Good Practice (GP). A 2025/26 Action Plan had been developed, specifically addressing the responses to the High Risk and Medium Risk recommendations and was provided at Appendix A. The Committee discussed the following: - · The risk of not participating wider in the Council’s Contract and Procurement Rules and the robust approach currently being undertaken. · Concern that 7 recommendations had been brought forward from 5 years ago and that credit had been offered to some companies. Assurance was provided regarding the procurement arrangements currently being undertaken. · Improvements being made already to the systems, following those similarly made to the Grand Theatre, thanks to integrating the two venues under single management. · Recognising that some of the services hired by the Brangwyn Hall were specialist i.e. performers rather than contractors. · Current issues being faced with Oracle Fusion. · Confirmation that all officers had received procurement training. The Chief Auditor stated that a follow up would be undertaken later in the financial year, when the high and medium risks would be tested.
Rachel Jowitt, Head of Corporate Building Services & Waste and Vicky Collard, Group Leader Support, Building Services presented ‘for information’ an update report on the moderate audit report for the Heol Y Gors Finance, Administration and Stores Team. It was outlined that the report addressed the 7 Medium Risk (MR) items within the Final internal audit report. All other risks reported were either Low Risk (Low Risk) or Good Practice (GP). An action plan had been developed in response to the audit to address the MR items and this was provided at Appendix A. The Committee discussed the following: - · Explanations were given outlining the interim procedures undertaken to make improvements, including using Oracle Fusion. · How the introduction of mini stock takes would assist matters. · Buyers were now being asked to check if contracts were in place. · Understanding the end to end process in respect of stock on for example, housing estates. The Head of Service would explain the process and controls in writing. · Stock items recorded in the Fusion stores module reconciling to those held in the Stores depot and vice versa and the risk involving manual processes. This would be addressed with rolling stock takes. The Chief Auditor explained that a follow up would be undertaken later in the financial year.
The Governance & Audit Committee Action Tracker was reported ‘for information’.
The Governance & Audit Committee Work Plan was reported ‘for information’.
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