Minutes:
East Hampshire District Council & Havant Borough Council
Joint Governance Committee Minutes
Committee Room 2, Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, PO9 2AX
Tuesday 18 September 2012 at 5.30pm
-:Present:-
Cllr Ken Carter (EHDC) (Chairman)
Councillors Philip Aiston (EHDC), Lynn Evans (EHDC), Olwyn Kennedy (HBC), Marjorie Smallcorn (HBC), Ken Smith (HBC) and Caren Tarrant (HBC)
-:Also Present:-
Cllr Jackie Branson (HBC) and Cllr Marge Harvey (EHDC)
-:Officers:-
Executive Head Governance & Logistics, Monitoring Officer, Service Manager Strategic Finance, EHDC Accountant (Financial & Governance), HBC Corporate Group Accountant, HBC Internal Audit Partnership Manager, HBC Principal Auditors, HBC Senior Litigation Lawyer and EHDC Committee Services Co-ordinator
-:Also Present:-
Mr Mark Catlow, Audit Commission – minute 11
1. Election of Chairman. Cllr Ken Carter (EHDC) was elected Chairman of the Committee.
2. Election of Vice-Chairman. Cllr Ken Smith (HBC) was elected Vice-Chairman of the Committee.
3. Apologies for Absence. Apologies for absence had been received from Cllrs Paul Buckley (HBC), Zoya Faddy (EHDC), Terry Hart (HBC), Maurice Johnson MBE (EHDC), and Dean Phillips, (EHDC).
4. Chairman’s Announcements.
The Chairman indicated the fire exits and asked that all mobile phones were switched off.
5. Declarations of Interest. There were no declarations of interest.
6. Terms of Reference. A copy of the draft terms of reference for the Committee were circulated at the meeting.
Cllr Smith asked for a copy of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act Policy.
Following the discussion, it was
RESOLVED that the draft Terms of Reference be adopted with the amendments agreed by the Committee.
7. Minutes – Havant Borough Council (HBC). The minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on
20 June 2012 which had been previously circulated, were confirmed and signed as a correct record.
8. Minutes – East Hampshire District Council (EHDC). The minutes of the Standards Committee meeting held on 23 May 2012 which had been previously circulated, were confirmed and signed as a correct record.
9. Matters Arising. It was agreed that a copy of both sets of minutes would be resent to members of the Committee.
HBC Business
10. Internal Audit Progress Report to 31 August 2012. The Committee considered Report, 9, which had been previously circulated. Mr John Cummins, HBC Internal Audit Partnership Manager introduced the report.
Following the discussion, it was
RESOLVED that the matters raised by Internal Audit and the action taken by management be NOTED.
Joint Business
11. Annual Governance Statements 2011/2012. The Committee considered Report, EXTH.14/12, which had been previously circulated. Mr Kevin Harlow, EHDC Accountant (Financial & Governance) introduced the report.
Following the discussion, it was
RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statements and action plans be NOTED.
HBC Business
12. Statement of Accounts. The Committee considered Report, 10, which had been previously circulated. Mr Mark Catlow from the Audit Commission introduced his report.
Following the discussion, it was
RESOLVED that
(i) the matters presented in the Annual Governance Report at Appendix 2 of the report be APPROVED;
(ii) the letter of representation at Appendix 2 of the report be APPROVED; and
(ii) the Statement of Accounts for 2011/2012 be APPROVED and that the Vice-Chairman and S151 Officer certify the approval of the Accounts by signing page 5 of the Accounts
13. Public Sector Internal Audit Standards. Mr John Cummins, HBC Internal Audit Partnership Manager introduced the report.
Following the discussion, it was
RESOLVED that the update be NOTED.
14. Exclusion of the Press and Public.
RESOLVED that the press and the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item as:-
(a) it
was likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted,
or the nature of the proceedings, that if members of the public
were present during these items there would be disclosure to them
of exempt information as specified in paragraphs 1 and 2 of Part I
of Schedule 12A (as amended) to the Local Government Act 1972;
and
(b) in
all the circumstances of the case, the public interest in
maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in
disclosing the information.
15. Standards Complaint SC 157 – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
16. SC 172 – Code of Conduct – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
This report had been withdrawn from the agenda and was not considered.
17. SC 149, 150, 151, 152 and 154 – Code of Conduct – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
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Chairman
The meeting closed at 6.37 p.m.
During the course of the meeting there were no members of the
public or press present.
Copies of this and all other agendas and minutes can be accessed via the Council’s website –
http://www.easthants.gov.uk/meetings
They are also available on request in other formats including audio and large print.
SUMMARY OF EXEMPT ITEMS
15. Standards Complaint SC 157 – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
Following the discussion, it
was
Resolved that the recommendation as set out on exempt page 1 of the report be AGREED.
16. Standards Complaint SC 157 – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
This report had been withdrawn from the agenda and was not considered.
17. Standards Complaint SC 157 – NOT FOR PUBLICATION by
virtue of Paragraph 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local
Government Act 1972.
Information relating to an individual and Information which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual.
Following the discussion, it was
Resolved that the recommendation as set out on exempt page 1 of the report be AGREED.
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Chairman
The meeting concluded at
6.37pm.
During the course of the meeting no members of the press and no members of the public were present.