Agenda and minutes

Audit, Governance and Standards Committee - Tuesday 6 June 2023 6.30 pm

Venue: Ground Floor Meeting Room G01A - 160 Tooley Street, London SE1 2QH. View directions

Contact: Virginia Wynn-Jones Email: virginia.wynn-jones@southwark.gov.uk

Items
No.	Item
1.	Apologies for absence Share this item To receive any apologies for absence. Minutes: Apologies were received from Councillor Sarah King (unavailable due to another council meeting), Michael Scorer, and Nick Baker, BDO.
2.	Confirmation of voting members Share this item A representative of each political group will confirm the voting members of the committee. Minutes: The members present were confirmed as the voting members.
3.	Notification of any items of business which the chair deems urgent Share this item In special circumstances, an item of business may be added to an agenda within five clear days of the meeting. Minutes: There were none.
4.	Disclosure of interests and dispensations Share this item Members to declare any personal interests and dispensation in respect of any item of business to be considered at this meeting. Minutes: There were none.
5.	Minutes Share this item To approve as a correct record the open minutes of the meetings held on 6 February 2023 and 20 May 2023. Supporting documents: Minutes, 06/02/2023 Audit, Governance and Standards Committee , item 5. PDF 248 KB Minutes, 20/05/2023 Audit, Governance and Standards Committee , item 5. PDF 113 KB Minutes: The minutes of 6 February 2023 and 20 May 2023 were agreed as a correct record.
6.	Governance conversation: Michael Scorer Share this item Michael Scorer, strategic director of housing and modernisation, to discuss departmental governance. Minutes: This item was postponed. The strategic director of housing and modernisation was invited back to a future meeting.
7.	Member Enquiries review update Share this item Supporting documents: Report: Member Enquiries , item 7. PDF 156 KB Minutes: Officers introduced the report. Members had questions for the officers. Officers undertook to: · Confirm to members of the committee what councillors’ involvement in the member enquiries review would look like · Send an update on page 9 of the report, including updated figures for children’s and adults’ services · Send a detailed breakdown of complaints per business unit and department · Send an officer-level report on complaints to the committee. RESOLVED: That the audit, governance and standards committee noted the update to member enquiries. That the audit, governance and standards committee invited officers to attend the November 2023 committee meeting to update on the performance and progress of the review detailed in the report.
8.	External audit verbal update Share this item Grant Thornton to update the committee. Minutes: Grant Thornton updated the committee on the external audit. Members had questions for the external auditors. Members thanked Grant Thornton for the update.
9.	Internal audit and anti-fraud progress report: June 2023 Share this item Supporting documents: Covering report - Internal audit progress report , item 9. PDF 21 KB Internal Audit and Anti Fraud Progress Report June 2023 , item 9. PDF 645 KB Minutes: BDO introduced the report. Members had questions for the internal auditors. Officers undertook to provide a written briefing to the committee, including information on: · officers’ responses to reporting fraud · the schools work programme · Finance report on team management · fraud cases in children’s and adults’ services department. Officers undertook to invite officers responsible for all outstanding audit responses in 2019-20 to the audit, governance and standards committee in July 2023. RESOLVED: That the committee noted the report.
10.	Internal audit annual report and annual statement of assurance 2022-23: Draft interim report Share this item Supporting documents: Covering report - Draft interim audit annual review , item 10. PDF 22 KB Draft Interim Internal Audit Annual Report 2022-23 , item 10. PDF 668 KB Minutes: BDO introduced the report. Members had questions for the internal auditors. RESOLVED: That the committee noted the report.
11.	Draft Annual Governance Statement 2022-23 Share this item Supporting documents: Covering report Draft AGS , item 11. PDF 146 KB Appendix 1 Annual Governance Statement 2022-23 , item 11. PDF 951 KB Minutes: Officers introduced the report. Members had questions for the officers. Officers undertook to coordinate with the head of scrutiny to consider including the outcomes of the CFGS scrutiny improvement review report in the annual governance statement. RESOLVED: That the committee noted the draft annual governance statement.
12.	Compliance with CIPFA Financial Management code Share this item Supporting documents: Covering report: Compliance with CIPFA FM Code , item 12. PDF 129 KB Compliance with CIPFA FM Code 2022-23 Appendix A , item 12. PDF 790 KB Minutes: Officers introduced the report. Members had questions for the officers. Officers undertook to circulate a list of reserves of all London boroughs and changes over time. Officers undertook to bring a report to the September audit, governance and standards committee on the processes of operational reserves. RESOLVED: That the committee noted the report.
13.	Formation of audit, governance and standards sub-committees for 2023-24 Share this item Supporting documents: Nominations for sub-committees , item 13. PDF 148 KB Minutes: Officers introduced the report. RESOLVED: 1. That the committee reserved their decision on the membership of the audit, governance and standards (standards) sub-committee. This item will be brought back to the July 2023 meeting. 2. That the committee appointed Councillors Barrie Hargrove, John Batteson, Sarh King and Graham Neale to form the audit, governance and standards (civic awards) sub-committee. 3. That the committee appointed Councillor Barrie Hargrove as chair of the sub-committee. 4. The committee also confirmed that Councillor Graham Neale would serve as the vice chair of the audit, governance and standards committee.