Agenda and minutes

Audit and Standards Committee - Monday 13th September 2021 10:00am

Venue: Oak Room, County Buildings, Stafford

Contact: Chris Ebberley  Email: chris.ebberley@staffordshire.gov.uk

Media

Items
No. Item

92.

Declarations of Interest

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Councillor Arshad Afsar informed the Committee that he had taken advice from the Monitoring Officer and that he did not have to declare an interest in report items 10 and 11.

93.

Minutes of the Meeting held on 13th July 2021 pdf icon PDF 217 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED: The minutes of the meeting held on the 13 July 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

94.

Annual Audit Letter 2019/20 pdf icon PDF 2 MB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Hassan Rohimun introduced the report from Ernst and Young summarising the key findings of their work following completion of the audit procedures for the year ending 31 March 2021.

 

Members felt that it would have been useful to see past information on audit fees for SCC and  the Pension fund to put audit fee increases into context.  It was reported that this information was available and would be circulated to the Committee for information.

 

RESOLVED:

a)    That the report be received.

b)    That the Committee be provided with past financial information on the audit fees for both SCC and the pension fund  as discussed at the meeting.

c)    That the Committee be provided with clarification of when the follow-up Ofsted & CQC inspection is scheduled for regarding SEND services.

 

95.

Changes to the Constitution - Number of Questions by Members at Full Council pdf icon PDF 195 KB

Report of the Director for Corporate Services

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Anne Marie Davidson attended the Committee and presented the report of the Director of Corporate Services.  The current maximum number of questions that could be submitted by Elected Members to the Council meeting, under Standing Order 8, was currently 2 per member per meeting.  It was suggested that the limit be revised to a maximum of 1 question per member per meeting thus enabling more members to ask questions.

 

 

RESOLVED:

a)    That the report be received.

b)    That  paragraph 8.3 of Section 12 (Procedural Standing Orders) of the Council’s Constitution be amended to limit the maximum number of questions that may be submitted by a member to one rather than the current two.  The wording of paragraph 8.3 would then read: “Each Member may submit a maximum of one question each, however only the first 15 questions received by the Director for Corporate Services before the deadline will be dealt with at the meeting. All other questions would receive a written answer.

 

96.

Forward Plan 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 201 KB

Additional documents:

Minutes:

97.

Exclusion of the Public

The Chairman to move:-

 

“That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated below”.

 

 

PART TWO

(reports in this section are exempt)

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

RESOLVED – That the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business which involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in the paragraph of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of the Local Government Act 1972 as indicated.

 

The Committee proceeded to consider the following items:

98.

Exempt minutes of the meeting held on 13th July 2021

Minutes:

RESOLVED: The exempt minutes of the meeting held on the 13 July 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

99.

Infrastructure + Contract Quality Systems - Final Audit Report 2020-21

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

Minutes:

RESOLVED: 

a)    That the report be received

b)    That progress on the implementation of the audit recommendations be noted and continue to be monitored and an update report on recommendations implemented would be brought back to the  Committee for the February 2022 meeting by the Service.

 

100.

Taxi Compliance Exercise - Use of PPN 02/20 COVID 19 Supplier Relief Payments By A Taxi Operator - Special Investigation Report 2020/21

Special Investigation Report (Paragraph 3)

Minutes:

RESOLVED: 

a)    That the report be received

b)    That progress on the implementation of the audit recommendations be noted and continue to be monitored and reviewed in February 2022 by the Committee.  The service to present a progress report on the implementation of recommendations at the February 2022 committee meeting.

 

101.

Counter Fraud Proactive Exercise: School Transport Taxi Payments - Final Audit Report 2020/21

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED: 

a)    That the report be received

b)    That progress on the implementation of the audit recommendations be noted and continue to be monitored and reviewed in February 2022 by the Committee.  The service to present a progress report on the implementation of recommendations at the February 2022 committee meeting..

 

102.

Climate Change - Final Audit Report 2020/21

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be received

 

103.

Digital Programme - Value - Final Audit Report 2020/21

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the progress made against the original audit report and recommendations be noted.

 

104.

Adult Social Care Pathway - Final Audit Report 2020/21

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be received

105.

Proactive Counter Fraud - Purchasing Card Cash Withdrawals Follow Up Final Audit Report 2021/22

Final Audit Report (Paragraph 3)

 

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  That the report be received and the control failings report associated with the significant fraud be presented at the Committee in October 2021.