Agenda and minutes

There were none. 

To approve the record of the meeting held on 21 March 2013.

The record of the meeting on 21 March 2013 was agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

The Committee took this opportunity to discuss the actions agreed at the last meeting. It was noted, in relation to minute 933/2012 (Fraud Resilience Strategy), that the Monitoring Officer would submit the draft Money Laundering Policy to the next meeting of the Audit Committee and, in relation to minute 935 (Outcomes of Internal Audit Activity), that one of the first tasks of the new performance hub within the Regeneration, Community and Culture directorate was to provide the evaluation information requested regarding the events programme.

In relation to minute 936 (Investigations Relating to External Fraud) the Committee requested an update on when the trend analysis for the outcome of benefit investigations, beyond that of the previous year, would be available. Members also requested that the Chief Finance Officer provide further information specifying the timescales for the valuation of heritage assets and the potential impact on the 2012/2013 Statement of Accounts (minute 930 External Audit Annual Audit Plan 2012/2013 relates) and explore further with legal services whether the imposition of automatic checks to safeguard against large overpayments could be deemed to be discriminatory towards any particular groups, as had been suggested within the briefing paper submitted to Committee Members since the last meeting. The Chairman advised that he had written to the Local Government Association highlighting the Committee’s concerns as to the costs involved in undertaking a valuation of the Council’s entire heritage assets.  

The Chairman will announce any late items which do not appear on the main agenda but which he has agreed should be considered by reason of special circumstances to be specified in the report.

There were none. 

It was noted that the covering report for agenda item 5 had been circulated separately from the main agenda.

A member need only disclose at any meeting the existence of a disclosable pecuniary interest (DPI) in a matter to be considered at that meeting if that DPI has not been entered on the disclosable pecuniary interests register maintained by the Monitoring Officer.

A member disclosing a DPI at a meeting must thereafter notify the Monitoring Officer in writing of that interest within 28 days from the date of disclosure at the meeting.

A member may not participate in a discussion of or vote on any matter in which he or she has a DPI (both those already registered and those disclosed at the meeting) and must withdraw from the room during such discussion/vote.

Members may choose to voluntarily disclose a DPI at a meeting even if it is registered on the council’s register of disclosable pecuniary interests but there is no legal requirement to do so.

In line with the training provided to members by the Monitoring Officer members will also need to consider bias and pre-determination in certain circumstances and whether they have a conflict of interest or should otherwise leave the room for Code reasons.

There were none. 

This report summarises the content of the appendix to agenda item 5, which, in the opinion of the proper officer, contains exempt information within three of the categories in Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972. It is a matter for the Committee to determine whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of document.

Decision:

The press and public were excluded from the meeting during consideration of the exempt material contained within the appendix to agenda item 5 (Irregularity Report) because consideration of this matter in public would disclose information falling within paragraphs 1, 2 and 7 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 as specified in agenda item 6 (Exclusion of Press and Public) and, in all the circumstances of the case, the Committee considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighed the public interest in disclosing the information. 

This report provides further information to Members on the investigation reported at the last meeting of the Committee.

Discussion:

This exempt report and supporting appendices informed Members of the outcome of an investigation. The submission of this report followed consideration of this investigation by the Audit Committee on 21 March 2013, when Members had noted the outcome and requested further information.

Following initial introductions, Members discussed the outcomes of this investigation in detail and reflected on the additional information provided and the recommendations to strengthen control arrangements. Officers responded to Members’ questions explaining council policies and procedures and how they were applied in this instance.

It was noted that a follow-up audit would be undertaken later in the year.

Decision:

The Committee agreed that the Chief Executive take forward actions identified to strengthen control arrangements.