Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Reading

Contact: Michael Popham - Democratic Services Manager Email: (michael.popham@reading.gov.uk)  (0118) 9372153

Link: webcast of meeting

Items
No. Item

18.

Minutes of the Committee's meeting held on 27 September 2018 pdf icon PDF 59 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of 27 September 2018 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 

19.

Recruitment Update - Presentation pdf icon PDF 401 KB

To receive a presentation updating the Committee on recruitment.

Minutes:

Shella Smith, Head of HR & Organisational Development, gave a presentation on the action that had been taken since April 2018 to improve recruitment of permanent staff at the Council.  The main issues with the current recruitment procedure that had been identified by candidates were that there was no Council employer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Internal Audit Quarterly Progress Report pdf icon PDF 775 KB

This report provides an update on key findings emanating from Internal Audit reports issued since the last quarterly progress report in September 2018.

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a reportproviding an update on key findings emanating from Internal Audit reports issued since the last quarterly progress report in September 2018.

 

The report set out a summary of the audit reports in respect of Delayed Transfer of Care; Continuing Healthcare; Revenue Budget Setting  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Internal Audit Plan 2019 - 2020 pdf icon PDF 464 KB

This report sets out the work Internal Audit plans to undertake during the financial year 2019/2020.

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a report setting out the work that Internal Audit planned to undertake during the financial year 2019/20.  The draft Internal Audit Plan was attached as Appendix 1 to the report along with the Internal Audit Charter at Appendix 2.  A separate internal audit plan would  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

22.

Strategic Risk Register Q3 pdf icon PDF 214 KB

This report provides an update on the Council’s 2018/19 Strategic Risk Register, in line with the requirements of the Council’s risk management strategy.

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a schedule updating the Committee on the Q3 status of the Council’s 2018/19 Strategic Risk Register (SRR), in line with the requirements of the Council’s Risk Management Strategy.  The SRR was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

 

The report explained that the SRR  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

Treasury Management Half Yearly Report pdf icon PDF 190 KB

This report provides an update on the activity of the Treasury Management function for 2018/19 as at 30 September 2018.

Minutes:

Jean Stevenson, Chief Accountant, submitted a report providing an update on the activity of the Treasury Management function for 2018/19 as at 30 September 2018.  The report had appended a commentary on the economic backdrop for 2018/19 and a list of approved counterparties showing the limits of exposure to financial  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Implementation of Audit Recommendations Tracker pdf icon PDF 459 KB

This report sets out a summary of those high and medium risk Internal Audit recommendations which remain outstanding together with an updated management response.

Minutes:

Further to Minute 14 of the meeting held on 27 September 2018, Jackie Yates, Director of Resources, submitted a report setting out, at Appendix 1, the Implementation of Audit Recommendations tracker report.

The report explained that each recommendation was marked with a percentage complete which correlated to a red/amber/green rating  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

25.

Update on 2016/17 and 2017/18 Accounts pdf icon PDF 48 KB

This report updates the Committee on the progress made towards completing the 2016/17 audit since the last meeting in September 2018.

Minutes:

Further to Minute 13 of the meeting held on 27 September 2018, Jean Stevenson, Chief Accountant, submitted a report providing an update on progress with the audit of the 2016/17 and 2017/18 accounts.  The Committee noted that the 2016/17 Accounts should originally have been audited and signed off by 30  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

26.

External Auditor Update pdf icon PDF 2 MB

To receive a verbal update from the Council’s external auditor EY.

Minutes:

Maria Grindley, EY, presented an Audit Update report, which included the key extracts from EY’s Audit Results report.  The full version of the report would be issued once the audit of the 2016/17 financial statements had been completed.  The report drew attention to the work that had been the completed  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

27.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

At this point, the following motion will be moved by the Chair:

“That, pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended) members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following item on the agenda, as it is likely that there would be disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant Paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A (as amended) of that Act”

 

Minutes:

Resolved –

That pursuant to Section 100A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended), members of the press and public be excluded during consideration of the following item below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraphs specified  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

28.

Housing Benefits and Council Tax Support Scheme - Risk-Based Verification Policy 2019/20

Minutes:

Jackie Yates, Director of Resources, submitted a report recommending that the Council continued to use its Risk Based Verification (RBV) process in 2019/20.  The process had been introduced by the Council in June 2010 following a recommendation by the Department of Works and Pension.  The process enabled processing of claims  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.