Agenda and minutes

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Contact: Nicholas Rogers 

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Rees.

 

2.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 64 KB

To confirm the minutes of the Governance and Audit Committee held on 26 September 2017.

Minutes:

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Governance and Audit Committee held on 26 September 2017 be approved as a correct record.

 

3.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no declarations of interest.

 

4.

Chairman's Report

Minutes:

The Chairman reminded members that matters discussed in the exempt session of the Full Council meeting on 13 December remained exempt.

5.

Local Government Ombudsman Annual Letter 2017 pdf icon PDF 50 KB

To note the Local Government Ombudsman Annual Review Letter 2017

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Local Government Ombudsman’s Annual Review Letter 2017.

 

The Committee was pleased to note that the number of complaints received had reduced from the previous year.

 

RESOLVED that the content of the report be noted.

6.

Monitoring Officer's Update

To receive a verbal update from the Monitoring Officer

 

Minutes:

The Deputy Monitoring Officer informed the Committee that there had been one Code of Complaint received since the last meeting. This had resulted in no further action being taken.

 

In total for 2017, nine Code of Conduct complaints were received. Of these nine, one had been due to be submitted for investigation, but the complainant withdrew their complaint prior to this being undertaken.

 

7.

Audit Annual Letter 2016/2017 pdf icon PDF 46 KB

To note the Annual Audit Letter for 2016/2017

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Annual Audit Letter 2016/17 as presented by Ernst and Young LLP. Jason Jones of Ernst and Young LLP joined the meeting for the debate on this item and answered members’ questions in connection with the report.

 

The Annual Audit Letter summarised the findings from the 2016/17 audit. The letter gave an ‘unqualified’ opinion on the Council’s financial statements and concluded that proper arrangements to secure value for money were in place.

 

The Letter also highlighted the impact of the change in statutory deadlines for the publication of the audited accounts to 31 July 2018 and the measures in place to aid preparation for this.

 

RESOLVED that the Annual Audit Letter 2016/2017 from Ernst and Young LLP be noted.

8.

Internal Audit Progress Report pdf icon PDF 69 KB

To note the Internal Audit Progress Report

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee considered the Internal Audit Progress Report presented by Antony Harvey and Amanda Chalmers of the Southern Internal Audit Partnership, who joined the meeting for the debate on this item and answered members’ questions in connection with the report.

 

The Committee were informed that since the report had been published, all areas of the audit plan were now in progress and the officers remained confident that the work of Internal Audit was on track for completion by the end of the financial year.

 

Furthermore, there were no significant issues to be highlighted at this stage.

 

RESOLVED that the Internal Audit Progress Report be noted.