Issue - meetings

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

Further to Minute No. 27 of the Audit and Governance Committee held on 17 March 2020 the Council considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services reviewing the current terms of reference for Audit and Governance Committee and recommending a revised terms of reference in order to comply with best practice as recommended by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

It was moved by Councillor Roche, seconded by Councillor John Sayers and

RESOLVED:

That the revised terms of reference for the Audit Committee, as set out in the report be approved.

Report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services

The Committee considered the report of the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Customer Services reviewing the current terms of reference for Audit and Governance Committee and recommending a revised terms of reference in order to comply with best practice as recommended by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).

The Chief Legal and Democratic Officer (CLDO) presented the report, indicating that the changes, enclosed as Appendix 2 to the report, proposed that Sefton Council’s Audit and Governance Committee adopt the model CIPFA Terms of Reference and included additional responsibilities that the Council’s Audit and Governance Committee had, which were not included in the model Terms of Reference, including:

·       To consider the Council’s arrangements for health and safety and receive regular assurances and assessments on the effectiveness of these arrangements.

·       To consider write-offs of debt above £10,000.

·       To have responsibility for all standards issues relating to the Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct

·       To recommend changes to the Council’s Constitution

The CLDO indicated that subject to approval of the Terms of Reference by Annual Council in May 2021 a proposed work plan would be submitted to the following meeting of the Audit and Governance Committee in June 2021, ensuring that through the delivery of the work plan all of the responsibilities of the Committee in the proposed Terms of Reference be discharged during the financial year.

The CLDO also advised of an amendment to Term of Reference No. 11 detailed in the report with the addition of the sentence – Annual Report to be provided – namely:

11 To monitor the following activities:

·       Counter Fraud/ bribery strategy, actions and resources. Annual report to be provided.

The purpose of this addition being that to reflect good practice on fraud issued by CIPFA, the Committee should receive an annual report on the Council’s Counter Fraud arrangements in addition to the quarterly updates provided as part of the Audit and Risk Performance Report.

RESOLVED:

That the revised terms of reference be recommended to Council for adoption.