The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 September 2023 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chair.

Minute 17(3)(a) – The Chair referred to the Committee operating under new terms of reference that had been agreed by Council on 17 October 2024, which included a responsibility:  ...  view the full minutes text for item 25.

This report updates the Committee on the progress of the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2020/21, as it nears completion. The report also provides an update on the 2021/22 and 2022/23 accounts.

The Committee received a report on the progress of the audit of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2020/21, as it neared completion.  The report also gave a progress update on the 2021/22 and 2022/23 accounts.  In future, the accounts would be signed off by Council, with the Audit and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

A representative from the Council’s External Auditor, EY, will present an update on the audit of 2020/21 financial statements and the following year’s statements and Value for Money assessments.

The Committee received a covering report on behalf of the Council’s External Auditor EY providing an update on the audit of 2020/21 financial statements and progress made with the following years’ statements and Value for Money assessments.  Maria Grindley and Adrian Balmer, EY, were present and addressed the Committee on  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

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

The Committee considered a report providing an update on the key findings emanating from the Internal Audit reports issued for the period 1 October to 31 December 2023 (Quarter 3).

The report summarised the findings, recommendations and management actions that had been put forward for each audit review and stated  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28.

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

The Committee considered a report setting out a summary of Internal Audit recommendations and updated management responses, which focused on those recommendations where there had been either a ‘limited’ or ‘no assurance’ opinion.  A summary of Internal Audit recommendations and updated management responses since the last Committee was attached to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 29.

This report provides the latest update on the Strategic Risk Register 2023/24.

The Committee considered a report outlining the 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 Risk Register covered the actions completed by the Council for September  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30.

This report updates Members on the activity of the Treasury Management function during the second quarter of the year for the period 1^st July 2023 to 30^th September 2023.

The Committee considered a report on the activity of the Treasury Management function during the second quarter of the year for the period 1^st July 2023 to 30^th September 2023.  The report stated that the CIPFA Code of Practice for Treasury Management 2021 recommended that the Committee should  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

This report updates the Committee on the implementation of the new finance system, e5, which went live at the start of December 2023.

The Committee considered a report on the implementation of the new finance system, e5, which went live at the start of December 2023. The project was now in a hyper care period through to February 2024 during which the Council’s finance team was being supported by specialist resources to help  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

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

The Committee considered 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 action being taken to address the backlog of Subject Access Requests; the on-time responses to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 33.

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 items 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”

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 item 35 below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 7 specified in Part 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 34.

The Committee received a report on Cyber Security, which had been requested at the meeting held on 20 July 2023 (Minute 4 refers), due to a limited assurance opinion by Internal Audit because of weaknesses in the internal configuration of the ICT estate.  Martin Chalmers, Chief Digital and Information Officer,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.