Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber, Civic Offices, Reading

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

Link: Link to watch meeting (live or on demand)

Media

Items
No. Item

14.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 19 July 2022 pdf icon PDF 74 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of 19 July 2022 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

15.

Internal Audit Quarterly Progress Report pdf icon PDF 107 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 the key findings emanating from the Internal Audit reports issued for the period 1 July to 30 September 2022. The report provided a summary of the findings following each audit review, summarised the recommendations and management actions that had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Internal Audit External Quality Assessment pdf icon PDF 71 KB

To receive a report on the external quality assessment of internal audit.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, presented a report following an external quality assessment of the Council’s Internal Audit team to check conformance with Public Sector Internal Audit Standards (PSIAS).

 

The report explained that the Standards required that an assessment carried out at least once every 5 years. The report outlined the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Strategic Risk Register Q1 & Q2 2022/23 pdf icon PDF 88 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Robin Pringle, Health, Safety & Risk Management Lead, presented a report outlining the Q1 and Q2 updates to the Strategic Risk Register (SRR), in line with the requirements of the Council’s Risk Management Strategy. A copy of the SRR was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

 

The report explained that,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Implementation of the Finance Improvement Programme - Update Report

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

Minutes:

The item was deferred to the next meeting of the Committee on 24 January 2023 to allow more time for the papers to be prepared.

 

Resolved:     That the item be deferred to the next meeting on 24 January 2023.

 

19.

Annual Governance Statement 2021/22 pdf icon PDF 73 KB

To receive a report on the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2021/22 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 2021/22 Annual Governance Statement (AGS), which was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

 

The report explained that the Council was required to prepare and publish an AGS each year as  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Information Governance Quarterly Update pdf icon PDF 120 KB

This report provides an update on the actions in progress to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes around Information Governance.

 

Minutes:

Michael Graham, Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services, presented 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 the work done to improve Data Transparency. It noted that  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Quarter 1 Performance Report (2022/23) pdf icon PDF 233 KB

This 2022/23 Quarter 1 Performance and Monitoring Report was presented to Policy Committee on 21 September 2022. The report also sets out performance against the measures of success published in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

 

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Darren Carter, Director of Finance, submitted a report, which had been considered by Policy Committee on 21 September 2022 (Minute 30 refers) setting out the projected revenue and capital outturn positions for 2022/23 for both the General Fund and the Housing Revenue Accounts as at the end of June 2022  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21.

22.

Implementation of Audit Recommendations Tracker pdf icon PDF 126 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:

Darren Carter presented a report setting out progress with the Implementation of Audit Recommendations. A copy of the Implementation of Audit Recommendations Tracker for September 2022 was attached to the report at Appendix 1.

 

The report explained that each recommendation set out in Appendix 1 was marked with a percentage  ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

Closing Financial Accounts Update pdf icon PDF 144 KB

This report provides an update on progress to complete the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2019/20 and the preparation for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 accounts.

Minutes:

Mark Sanders, Chief Accountant,submitted a report on the progress made towards the completion of the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2019/20 and the preparation for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 accounts.

 

The report outlined the progress made by both the Council’s Finance team and the ExternalAuditor’s (  ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Draft Audit Results Report pdf icon PDF 6 MB

This report summarises the preliminary audit conclusions in relation to the audit of Reading Borough Council and Group for 2019/20.

Minutes:

Adrian Balmer and Maria Grindley from Ernst & Young presented the External Auditor’s Draft Audit Results Report for 2019-20. The draft report summarised the External Auditor’s preliminary audit conclusions in relation to their audit of Reading Borough Council and Group for the 2019/20 financial year.

 

Resolved:     That the content of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.