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To Members of the Best Value & Audit Committee

Notice of Meeting

Chris Impey
Assistant Chief Executive

1 March 2005

Membership

Chair – Councillor Alan Bryden

Councillors:

Co-opted Members:

AGENDA

1. Apologies for Absence and Temporary Appointments
   
   
2. Declarations of Interest – see guidance note
   
   
3. Minutes

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 19 January 2005 (BV3) and to receive for information any matters arising therefrom.

4. Petitions and Public Address
   
   
5. Best Value Review of Services for Vulnerable Children and Young People

1. endorse the Best Value Review Report on Services for Vulnerable Children and Young People;
2. ask the review team to develop a detailed action plan and report back to the Committee on 20 July 2005;
3. refer the outcomes of the review to the Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee for them to make any observations on the review to the Executive;
4. note that Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee on 16 February resolved not to consider the review report but to monitor individually its journey through the Executive and look at how the action plan was being implemented in relation to Social & Health Care at a later date; and
5. RECOMMEND the review to the Executive.

6. District Audit – Audit & Inspection Letter 2004

11:10
Executive Member:
Leader of the Council Councillor Keith R. Mitchell

Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee:
Chair: Councillor Ken Harper
Deputy Chair Councillor C.H. Shouler

Contact: Sue Scane, Head of Finance

The Head of Finance & Procurement reports as follows:

District Audit has issued the Annual Audit & Inspection Letter 2004. The Letter represents a summary of the Auditor’s work and key findings relating to the financial year 2003/04.

Annual Audit & Inspection Letter (download as .pdf file)


An Executive summary of the Letter together with the key messages relating to the CPA Assessment 2004, other performance work, other Audit Commission Inspections, Social & Health Care client finance system failures, accounts, the financial position and other governance issues are set out on pages 2 and 3 of the Letter. The action needed by the Council which is shown on page 3 of the Letter is already being addressed through the variety of existing action plans which have been developed and reported to the Committee and/or its Working Group.

The Letter was circulated to all County Councillors and relevant officers on 1 February 2005 and is available for public inspection. Members are asked to bring it to the meeting.

Andy Burns, Relationship Manager, Audit Commission will attend the meeting.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

1. receive the District Audit - Annual Audit & Inspection Letter 2004 and note any comments from the Relationship Manager;
2. consider whether there are any recommendations to the Executive on 6 April 2005 arising from the Letter and invite individual Executive Members to pursue the respective recommendations with the appropriate Directors;
3. refer sections of the Letter to scrutiny committees as appropriate; and
4. refer the Letter to the Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group to help develop work planning for 2005/06.

7. Annual Audit Plan 2004/05

12:10
Executive Member:
Leader of the Council: Councillor Keith R. Mitchell

Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee
Chair: Councillor Ken Harper
Deputy Chair: Councillor C.H. Shouler

Contact: Sue Scane, Head of Finance

Andrew Cardoza, Senior Manager, Mukhtar Khangura, Audit Manager and Tim Pearce, Assistant Manager, KPMG will attend to present the Audit Plan (BV7-circulated separately).(download as .pdf file)

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to discuss and agree the Annual Audit Plan 2004/05.

8. Financial Management Implementation Plan - Quarterly Monitoring Report

12:25
Executive Member:
Leader of the Council: Councillor Keith R. Mitchell

Corporate Governance Scrutiny Committee
Chair: Councillor Ken Harper
Deputy Chair: Councillor C.H. Shouler

Contact: Jo Stone & Hilary Cameron (Resources)

Report by Head of Finance & Procurement (BV8).

On 20 October 2004 the Committee endorsed proposals in relation to project management and development of the Financial Management Implementation Plan, the set of actions designed to improve financial management within Oxfordshire County Council. A detailed implementation plan was subsequently circulated to members of the Committee in November 2004.

Whilst the detailed plan continues to be updated and monitored as a working document, the quarterly update report focuses on progress in achieving key priority actions for the improvement agenda.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to note progress to date and give any feedback on the quarterly monitoring report to the Head of Finance & Procurement so that this can be incorporated in the work being undertaken on the Financial Management Implementation Plan.

9. Audit Working Group – 14 January and 11 February 2005

• the updating of the risk registers; and
• Internal Audit’s possible changes in terms of procurement and the Strategic Plan/methodology.

10. Funded Transport Services– BVR Specification: Issues and Areas which the Review will Consider

2:00
Designated Member:
Councillor Biddy Hudson

Public Transport – Executive Member for Transport :
Councillor David Robertson

Environment Scrutiny Committee:
Chairman: Councillor C.H. Shouler
Deputy Chair: Councillor Biddy Hudson

Special Transport – Executive Members:
Children & Young People:
Councillor Janet Godden

Community Care & Health:
Councillor Don Seale

Social & Health Care Scrutiny Committee
Chair: Councillor Jean Fooks
Deputy Chairman: Councillor Roger Belson

School Transport - Executive Member:
Councillor Tony Crabbe

Learning & Culture Scrutiny Committee:
Chair: Councillor Margaret Ferriman
Deputy Chair Councillor David Turner

Contact: James Drew Better Ways to School Development Officer,Environment & Economy

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Review specification (BV10) (download as .doc file).

11. Best Value Review of Pension Fund Administration - Implementation

2:35
Designated Member:
Councillor Dermot Roaf

Executive Member:
Deputy Leader of the Council: Councillor Dermot Roaf

Pension Fund Committee Chairman:
Councillor C.H. Shouler

Contact: Sally Fox, Pensions Services Manager

Report by Head of Finance & Procurement (BV11).

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to:

1. agree if and when there is a need to report back to the Committee on further progress;
2. identify whether there are any matters in the report which should be drawn to the attention of the Executive Member; and
3. refer the report to the Pension Fund Committee.
   
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