The Minutes of the meeting of 30 January 2020 were confirmed as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman.

Further to Minute 22, the Committee noted that a report would be submitted to the next meeting on the Internal Audit Recommendations 97 and 98, which were set  ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

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

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a report providing an update on key findings emanating from Internal Audit reports issued since the last quarterly progress report in January 2020.  The report highlighted that there would be a review of Internal Audit work to be undertaken in 2020/2021 and any amendments to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

This report presents the annual assurance report of the Chief Auditor required by the Accounts and Audit Regulations and the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a report setting out at Appendix 1 the Internal Audit Annual Assurance Report of the Chief Auditor, as required by the Accounts and Audit regulations and the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards.  The report gave the Chief Auditor’s opinion on the overall adequacy and effectiveness  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

This report provides an update on progress by the Finance division to Internal Audit’s findings and recommendations in their Annual Assurance Report.

Further to Minutes 2 and 3 above, the Assistant Director of Finance, Peter Robinson, presented a report providing an update on progress by the Finance division to respond to Internal Audit’s findings and recommendations in their Annual Assurance Report.  The Internal Audit and Investigations Annual Assurance Report had delivered Limited  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

This report updates the Committee on progress with the completion of the

Council’s Final Accounts for 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Peter Robinson, interim Assistant Director of Finance, submitted a report providing an update on the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2017/18, 2018/19 and 2019/20.  The report stated that the Audit of the 2017/18 Accounts was nearing completion, with RBC Officers now having responded to all aside from a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To receive a report on the requirement to implement the CIPFA Financial Management Code from 1^st April 2021 and note the results of the initial self-assessment of the Council’s current standing against each of the Financial Management Standards, which had been carried out in March 2020.

Stuart Donnelly, Financial Planning & Strategy Manager, submitted a report on the The Financial Management Code 2019 (FM Code), which had been introduced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA), which set out for the first time, the standards of financial management for local authorities.  Local authorities would be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

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

Further to Minute 22 of the meeting held on 30 January 2020, Jackie Yates, Executive Director of Resources, presented 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  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

This report summarises the external auditor’s preliminary audit conclusion in relation to the audit of Reading Borough Council for 2017/18.

Maria Grindley, EY, presented EY’s draft Audit Results report, which summarised the preliminary audit conclusion in relation to the audit of Reading Borough Council for 2017/18. The final report would be presented at the conclusion of the audit. 

Resolved:     That the draft Audit Results report, which provided a summary of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.