Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Reading

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

Media

Items
No. Item

10.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 19 July 2021 pdf icon PDF 149 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of 19 July 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

11.

Questions pdf icon PDF 86 KB

Minutes:

A question on the following matter was submitted, in accordance with Standing Order 36(2):

 

 

Questioner

Subject

Answer

1.

Mr J Wellum

Openness and Transparency with Council Data

Cllr Stevens

 

(The full text of the question and reply was made available on the Reading Borough Council website).

12.

Internal Audit Quarterly Progress Report pdf icon PDF 146 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

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 July 2021.

 

The report set out a summary of the audit reports in respect of: Budgetary Control 2020/21; Adult Social Care – Contract Management;  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Strategic Risk Register pdf icon PDF 209 KB

To receive a report on the Council’s Strategic Risk Register for Quarter 2.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a schedule updating the Committee on the Q2 status of the Council’s 2021/22 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 had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Annual Governance Statement 2020/2021 pdf icon PDF 160 KB

To receive a report on the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2020/21 for publication with the Council’s accounts.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Michael Graham, Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services, submitted a report setting out the updated action plan for the 2020/21 Annual Governance Statement (AGS), which was attached to the report at Appendix 1.  The Council was required to prepare and publish an AGS each year as an accompaniment to the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Information Governance Quarterly Update pdf icon PDF 170 KB

This report outlines the actions in progress to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes for better Information Governance.

Minutes:

Michael Graham, Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services, submitted a report outlining the action underway to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes for Information Governance following several limited assurance reports in this area. 

The report provided an update on: recruitment to key posts in the Information Governance Team and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Closing Financial Accounts Update

To receive a verbal update from the Director of Finance on the progress made with the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2018/19 and 2019/20.

Minutes:

Darren Carter, Director of Finance, reported that the Council’s Final Accounts for 2018/19 had formally been completed on 29 September 2021 and had been published on the website.  The final checks on the 2019/20 Accounts were being undertaken and once completed would be passed over to the external auditors EY  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Implementation of Audit Recommendations Tracker pdf icon PDF 166 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.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Jackie Yates, Deputy Chief Executive, 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 rating (up to 25% complete: red, between 26% and 75%: amber, over 75%  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Implementation of the Finance Improvement Programme – Progress Update pdf icon PDF 197 KB

 

This report provides an update on progress of the Programme workstreams and their deliverables against the Plan since the last meeting.

 

Minutes:

Chris Tidswell, CIPFA, presented a report providing an update on progress of the Finance Improvement Programme (FIP) against the plan for each workstream and their deliverables.  The report explained that the FIP had two key phases:  Phase I was responding to the historic and current issues identified to ensure a  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.

External Auditor Update

Minutes:

Maria Grindley and Adrian Balmer, EY, provided a brief update from the external auditors’ perspective on the position in relation to the closure of the Final Accounts for 2018/19 and progress with the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Resolved:     That the position be noted.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.