Agenda and minutes

Venue: Online Meeting via Microsoft Teams

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

Media

Items
No. Item

1.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting held on 28 January 2021 pdf icon PDF 146 KB

Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting of 28 January 2021 were confirmed as a correct record and would be signed by the Chairman.

2.

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 Wellum

Accounts

Cllr Stevens

 

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

3.

Internal Audit Quarterly Progress Report pdf icon PDF 213 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 reportproviding an update on key findings emanating from Internal Audit reports issued since the last quarterly progress report in January 2021.

The report set out a summary of the audit reports in respect of: Payroll; Penalty Charge Notices; Additional Payments; Housing Revenue Account  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Annual Audit Plan & Internal Audit Charter 2021/2022 pdf icon PDF 155 KB

This report sets out the work Internal Audit plans to undertake during the financial year 2021/2022.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a reportsetting out the work Internal Audit was planning to undertake during the financial year 2021/2022.  The report explained that internal audit was responsible for providing an annual formal opinion on the Council’s control environment.  The Audit Plan, which was attached at Appendix 1  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Strategic Risk Register Quarter 4 2020/2021 pdf icon PDF 208 KB

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

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a schedule updating the Committee on the Q4 status of the Council’s 2020/21 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 5.

6.

Implementation of the Finance Improvement Programme - Progress Update pdf icon PDF 199 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 6.

7.

Information Governance Quarterly Update pdf icon PDF 162 KB

 

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

 

Minutes:

Mike Graham, Assistant Director of Legal & Democratic Services, submitted a report outlining the actions in progress to improve the Council’s policies, systems and processes for improving Information Governance.  The report referred to the Committee receiving several limited assurance reports in this area and identified that work was needed to address  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

Closing Financial Accounts Update pdf icon PDF 114 KB

This report updates the Committee on progress with the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2018/19 and 2019/20.

Minutes:

Darren Carter, Director of Finance, submitted a report providing an update on the completion of the Council’s Final Accounts for 2018/19 and 2019/20.  Thereport stated that the draft 2018/19Accounts had beenhanded overto EYin February2020. Thesehad been updated inNovember 2020for therevised  ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Implementation of Audit Recommendations Tracker pdf icon PDF 154 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 9.

10.

External Auditor Update

Minutes:

Adrian Balmer, EY, commented briefly on the ongoing Audit of the 2018/19 Accounts and the progress being made to close the 2019/20 Accounts.

Resolved:     That the position be noted.

 

11.

Exclusion of Press & Public

The following motion will be moved by the Chairman:

 

“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”

 

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 Items below as it was likely that there would be a disclosure of exempt information as defined in the relevant paragraph(s) specified in Part  ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Penalty Charge Notices Audit Report

Minutes:

Paul Harrington, Chief Auditor, submitted a reportproviding an update on key findings emanating from an Internal Audit report on Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs).  The audit had found that the Council had upgraded its PCNNotice processingsystem in2018.  The new systemhad thepotential toimprove the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.