Return to AgendaITEM AU3(a)
AUDIT committee
MINUTES of the meeting held on 22 April 2009 commencing at 11.00 am and finishing at 1.00 pm
Present:
Voting Members: Councillor David Wilmshurst - in the chair
Councillor Alan BrydenCouncillor Patrick Greene Councillor Timothy Hallchurch MBE Councillor Colin Lamont (in place of Councillor Charles Mathew) Councillor Lesley Legge (in place of Councillor Dermot Roaf) Councillor John Sanders Councillor Craig Simmons
Other Members in Councillor David Robertson (for Agenda Item 9) Attendance: Councillor C.H. Shouler (for Agenda Items 5, 6, 7, 8) Councillor Lawrie Stratford (for Agenda Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Officers:
Whole of meeting: P.G. Clark, I. Dyson, G. Malcolm, S. Scane (Corporate Core).
Part of meeting:
The Committee considered the matters, reports and recommendations contained or referred to in the agenda for the meeting, and decided as set out below. Except insofar as otherwise specified, the reasons for the decisions are contained in the agenda and reports], copies of which are attached to the signed Minutes.
17/09 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE AND TEMPORARY APPOINTMENTS
Apologies for absence and temporary appointments were received as follows:
18/09 MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 4 March 2009 were approved and signed.
19/09 AUDIT WORKING GROUP - 9 APRIL 2009 (Agenda Item 5)
The Committee considered a report (AU5) on the following specific matters which had been considered by the Audit Working Group (AWG):
- AWG0309 Whistle blowing - AWG0409 Early Issues for the Annual Governance Statement - AWG0509 Internal Audit Quarterly Report The Committee supported the Group’s proposal and congratulated the Internal Audit Team on a very successful year.
- AWG0609 Accounts Payable – Update - AWG0709 Risk Management - AWG0809 SAP Authorisations – Progress Report - AWG0909 Update on Schools Support Team S151 Issues - AWG1009 Review Work Programme The Committee noted that the Group’s Work Programme 2009/10 was provisional at present.
RESOLVED: to note the report.
20/09 REVIEW OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM OF INTERNAL AUDIT 2008/09 (Agenda Item 6)
The Committee considered annually the process for reviewing the system of internal audit.
Mr Clark introduced the report (AU6) which, as part of the Council’s assurance process for the Annual Governance Statement, and in accordance with the requirements of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003 as amended in 2006, reviewed the effectiveness of the system of internal audit undertaken by the Council. He had conducted the review as Monitoring Officer and at the Committee’s request.
The report outlined the statutory requirements for the review, the methodology used, and the overall findings and conclusions. The focus of this report was primarily on the role of the Internal Audit Team; whilst the system of Internal Audit was wider than that of just the Internal Audit Team, it was encompassed within the overall Annual Governance Framework that is separately considered by the Audit Committee. Actions for improvements identified in the report had been agreed with the Assistant Head of Finance (Audit) who was taking responsibility for their implementation. The report proposed that progress on implementation should be reported to the Audit Working Group by the Assistant Head of Finance (Audit) as part of the Internal Audit quarterly reports.
The Committee was delighted with the improvements and congratulated all concerned. Mr. Clark responded to questions and comments on the Review outcomes. At Members’ suggestion he undertook to approach those Directors/Heads of Service who had raised issues of concern to ask whether they wished to discuss their comments with the Assistant Head of Finance (Audit).
RESOLVED: to approve the Monitoring Officer’s assessment of the effectiveness of the system of Internal Audit 2008/09 subject to minor textual corrections.
21/09 INTERNAL AUDIT SERVICES: INTERNAL AUDIT STRATEGY & ANNUAL PLAN 2009/10 (Agenda Item 7)
The Committee considered the report (AU7) which set out the Internal Audit Services Work Plan for 2009/10.
Mr Dyson outlined the consultation process for devising the Plan; the strategy for determining it had been agreed with the Council’s External Auditors. He then responded to questions which focused on the opportunities and benefits in working with other public sector organisations. The Appendix, page 9, was amended on by the deletion of ‘2008/09’ and the substitution of ‘2009/10’.
RESOLVED: to approve the Internal Audit Plan 2009/10 subject to correction of paragraph numbering.
22/09 INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS (IFRS) (Agenda Item 8)
The Committee considered the report (AU8) which outlined the significant changes in local authorities’ Accounts preparations.
In response to member comment the Chief Finance Officer confirmed that the new system of IFRS would form part of pre-Audit Committee member training & development after the June 2009 elections.
The Committee thanked the Chief Finance Officer, IFRS Project Manager and Strategic Finance Manager (Financial Accounting & Reporting) for their work on this matter.
RESOLVED: to:
(a) receive the report;
(b) note the requirement for local authorities to prepare accounts using International Financial Reporting Standards from 2010/11; and
(c) note the progress to date and project in place to ensure compliance with the requirements.
23/09 PROJECT LINK POST-PROJECT REVIEW ACTION PLAN (Agenda Item 9)
Key findings from a post-project review of Project Link were presented to Audit Committee on 21 January 2009. The Committee decided to refer the Project Link – Post-Project Review report to the Change Management Board to consider and to develop an action plan for reporting back to the Committee at a future date. The Change Management Board agreed on 4 March 2009 that the Corporate Change Manager was responsible for taking the action plan back to Audit Committee.
The Committee considered the Post-project review Action Plan (AU9) which outlined the key learning points, actions and timings.
Ms. Delamilleure introduced the paper. Both the internal challenge and the project assurance role would further embed the project assurance needed to ensure that project and programme management risk was better governed and monitored. She outlined the process for internal challenge for a selection of larger/higher risk projects & programmes and the project assurance role for all projects and programmes. She then responded to members’ questions and comments in relation to the development of a process to identify projects and the role of scrutiny.
RESOLVED: to note the action plan and to commend the Audit Committee following the June elections to include in its Work Programme for November 2009 a brief overview and action plan progress update. 24/09 AUDIT COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME 2009/10 (Agenda Item 10)
The Committee considered its provisional Work Programme (AU10).
The Chief Finance Officer confirmed that induction for Audit Committee members would be arranged after the June 2009 elections.
RESOLVED: to approve the provisional Work Programme 2009/10 subject to:
- the decision at Minute 23/09 above (Project Link Post-Project Review Action Plan); and - moving ‘Safeguarding & Child Protection Services in Oxfordshire’ from the 24 June 2009 meeting to 23 September 2009.
AUDIT COMMITTEE
As this was the last scheduled meeting of the Committee the Chairman thanked members and officers for their support and work over the last four years and Dr Geoff Jones for chairing the Audit Working Group; all had contributed to the Committee’s ‘one team’ approach. In turn the Committee thanked Councillor Wilmshurst for his role as Chairman of the Committee.
................................................................................... in the Chair
Date of signing.................................................................. 2009
|