Agenda and minutes

To confirm the minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2020.

The minutes of the meeting held on 16 November 2020 were confirmed as a correct record and would be signed at a later date.

To receive any declarations of interest.

No declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests were made at the meeting.

To receive questions or statements on the business of the committee from town and parish councils and members of the public.

Public speaking has been suspended for virtual committee meetings during the Covid-19 crisis and public participation will be dealt with through written submissions only.

 Members of the public who live, work or represent an organisation within the Dorset Council area, may submit up to two questions or a statement of up to a maximum of 450 words.  All submissions must be sent electronically to susan.dallison@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk  by the deadline set out below. 

When submitting a question please indicate who the question is for and include your name, address and contact details.  Questions and statements received in line with the council’s rules for public participation will be published as a supplement to the agenda.

Questions will be read out by an officer of the council and a response given by the appropriate Portfolio Holder or officer at the meeting.  All questions, statements and responses will be published in full within the minutes of the meeting. 

The deadline for submission of the full text of a question or statement is 8.30am on Tuesday 12 January 2021.

There were no public questions or statements.

To consider the 2020/21 Plan Progress Report from SWAP.

Rupert Bamberger, Assistant Director, SWAP, introduced a report on the Internal Audit 2020/21 Plan Progress report.  On behalf of the committee the Chairman asked that thanks be passed onto all the staff at SWAP for all of their hard work.  Members of the committee asked a number of questions in relation to the report in respect of:

Duplicate payments

Areas of non-compliance

Number of outstanding recommendations

Level of data protection training taking place

Transformation

Transport Operators Licence.

Decision

That the report be noted.   

To consider a report from the Service Manager for Assurance.

Marc Eyre, Service Manager for Assurance, introduced the Risk Management Update report .  Members of the committee discussed the report and asked questions relating to:

The procurement of a replacement transport management system (Trapeze).  The Chairman requested a revised date for this procurement exercise.  

The Chairman also requested that officers set up a meeting with himself, Cllr Turner and Cllr Bartlett to discuss a way forward for dealing with the Vehicle Operators Licence and PUWER Regulations.  

In response to a query from the Chairman, the Service Manager for Assurance agreed to liaise with the Health & Safety Team on how health and safety reports could be incorporated into information provided to councillors.

Councillors also discussed:

Highlighting self-insurance on the Risk Register;

Implementing a 5x5 risk matrix;

How to assess mitigation measures put in place;

Failure to adapt services and communities to the impact of a changing climate – the Service Manager for Assurance agree to seek a response from the risk owner on whether the council was lagging behind.

Decision

That the report be noted.

To receive a verbal update from the Executive Director for Corporate Development.

The Executive Director for Corporate Development introduced an item on the external audit update.  Ian Howse from Deloitte provided members with an update on progress; it was hoped that the audit would be completed by mid February.  The Chairman hoped that the audit to be available for the next Audit & Governance Committee meeting on 22 February 2021.     

To receive a briefing from the Corporate Director, Finance & Commercial.

Mark Payne, Business Development Team Leader gave a presentation on Council Tax.  The presentation slides would be sent to all members of the council, for information, after the meeting.   

To receive an update from the Service Manager for Finance Policy & Compliance.

The Service Manager for Finance Policy & Compliance gave a presentation on the Redmond Review, the independent review into the oversight of Local Audit and the transparency of local authority reporting by Sir Tony Redmond.

The Democratic Services Team were currently investigating training options for members of the Audit and Governance Committee and the Chairman asked members to respond to the survey on training needs.        

To report to the committee on any changes made to the Constitution under powers delegated to the Monitoring Officer.

The Corporate Director for Legal & Democratic and Monitoring Officer updated the committee on a change to the Constitution implemented under delegated powers.  The Procedural Rules had been updated to require political group leaders, in addition to the Chairman of Council, to be consulted on whether a Notice of Motion submitted by a councillor was valid.  

To consider the work programme for the Committee.

The committee noted the Forward Plan.

As a change to the published Forward Plan it was agreed to add the External Audit Update to the February meeting.

To consider any items of business which the Chairman has had prior notification and considers to be urgent pursuant to section 100B (4) b) of the Local Government Act 1972. The reason for the urgency shall be recorded in the minutes.

There were no items of urgent business.

To move the exclusion of the press and the public for the following item in view of the likely disclosure of exempt information within the meaning of paragraph 3 of schedule 12 A to the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

The public and the press will be asked to leave the meeting whilst the item of business is considered.

There is no exempt business.

There were no items of exempt business.