Agenda

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 15 January 2020 and to receive information arising from them.

2.10 p.m.

Representatives from the external auditors Ernst & Young will attend to present the following reports:

·         Oxfordshire Pension Fund Audit Planning Report

·         Oxfordshire County Council Audit Planning Report

2.25 p.m.

Report by Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer

Each year the Council needs to set a scale of election fees and expenditure for the holding of elections of county councillors.  This Committee has delegated responsibility for approving the “scale of fees”.

In accordance with the Council’s practice, a review has been undertaken in consultation with the City and District Councils of Oxfordshire, who assist in running the County Council's elections and by-elections.  The Districts are generally mindful of the County Council’s scale of fees, when setting their own fees for local elections and also use it in the event of any County Council by-election.  Therefore, the Scale of Fees aims to provide a framework, and to steer an even course between the individual requirements of all the districts and the County.

The proposed scale of fees and expenditure for 2020/21 is included as an Annex to this report.  The Committee is requested to approve the proposed Scale of Fees to apply from 1 April 2020.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to approve the Scale of Expenditure for the financial year 2020/21, as shown in Annex A to this report, for the election of County Councillors and any other local referendums.

2.40 p.m.

Report by Director of Law & Governance and Monitoring Officer.

Each year the Council must approve an Annual Governance Statement. This Committee is instrumental in this and will be invited to approve a new Statement in May 2020. The Statement provides a description of the effectiveness of the Council’s governance framework and an Opinion as to its sufficiency. It also normally includes a set of governance actions that will form a priority for the year ahead.

In last year’s Annual Governance Statement, several governance actions were listed as priorities for 2019/20.  The Committee asked for a separate update on the outcomes from these actions before the Committee then goes on to consider the Annual Governance Statement for the forthcoming year.  As such, this report includes a brief update on the priority actions identified for the 2019/20 year.  The final position on them will be given in the Annual Governance Statement in May this year.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider and note the outcomes so far on the governance actions agreed in last year’s Annual Governance Statement.

3.10 p.m.

Report by the Chairman of the Audit & Governance Committee to be presented to The Council.

The Annual Report sets out the role of the Audit & Governance Committee and summarises the work that has been undertaken both as a Committee and through the support of the Audit Working Group in 2019/20.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to consider the Annual Report and suggest any additions or amendments.

3.25 p.m.

Report by the Director of Finance

This report presents an Update on the Counter Fraud Strategy and Plan for 2019/20.

The committee is RECOMMENDED to note the progress with delivery of Counter Fraud Strategy and Plan for 2019/20.

3.45 p.m.

Report from the Corporate Director for Customer and Organisational Development.

Also attached are the draft minutes from the Joint Audit & Governance and Performance Scrutiny (Transformation) Sub-Committee of 30 January 2020 for information.

The Committee is RECOMMENDED to

a)               agree, in conjunction with the Performance Scrutiny Committee, that the work of the Transformation Sub-Committee is complete in having overseen the start-up phase of the council’s Transformation Programme and that future oversight now reverts back to its two parent committees; and

b)              consider on an ongoing basis which specific change activities it wishes to include on its forward plan.

3.55 p.m.

To review the Committee’s Work Programme.