Agenda and minutes

Venue: Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall

Contact: Chloe Rew
tel. no.: 020 7332 1427  Email: chloe.rew@cityoflondon.gov.uk

Items
No. Item

1.

Apologies

Minutes:

The Chairman welcomed the Chamberlain and thanked the Deputy Chamberlain and Deputy Director of Financial Services for their work in acting up in the Chamberlain’s absence.

 

Apologies were received from Alderman Nicholas Anstee, Anne Fairweather and John Petrie.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 1.

2.

Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the Agenda

Minutes:

There were no declarations.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

3.

Minutes of the previous meeting pdf icon PDF 76 KB

To agree the public minutes and non-public summary of the meeting held on 16 July 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 3.

Minutes:

RESOLVED – that, the public minutes and non-public summary of the previous meeting held 16 July 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.

4.

Draft Minutes of the Nominations Sub-Committee pdf icon PDF 49 KB

To receive the draft minutes of the meeting of the Nominations Sub-Committee held 20 May 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 4.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that – the draft minutes of the Nominations Sub-Committee of the Audit and Risk Management Committee meeting held 7 May 2019 be received and its contents noted.

 

Members received an update on the recruitment for an external member vacancy for 2020.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.

Outstanding Actions of the Committee pdf icon PDF 103 KB

Members are asked to note the Committee’s Outstanding Actions List.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 5.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that – the outstanding actions of the Committee be received and their contents noted.

 

The Commissioner of the City of London Police (CoLP) provided an oral update on the arrears in Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Since the last update, the backlog of cases was resolved and new cases were received. In April 2019, a new record keeping system for FOIA requests was implemented. 121 cases were awaiting closure. It was reported that FOIA requests were an ongoing risk area for CoLP, particularly due to the difficulty in recruiting and retaining trained staff to manage requests.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.

Committee Work Programme pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Members are asked to note the Committee’s Work Programme.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 6.

Minutes:

Members received the Committee workplan. It was noted that additional items would be added to the workplan and an updated version would be circulated to Members following the meeting,

 

RESOLVED, that – the Committee workplan be received and its contents noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

7.

2018/19 Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee pdf icon PDF 48 KB

Report of the Town Clerk & Chief Executive and the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 7.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Town Clerk relative to the annual report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee presented by the Chairman of the Committee. This was the first instance that a report of this nature had been prepared for the Committee.

 

RESOLVED, that Members:

1.    note the appendix – 2018/19 Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee presented by the Chairman of the Committee.

2.    agree the next Annual Report of the Audit and Risk Management Committee cover 1 August 2019 to 31 March 2020, with subsequent reports coinciding with the financial year.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.

8.

2018-19 City Fund and Pension Fund Financial Statements - Audit Completion Report pdf icon PDF 49 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 8.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Chamberlain relative to the audit completion reports for the 2018/19 City Fund and Pension Fund Financial Statements.

 

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 8.

9.

Bridge House Estates Annual Report and Financial Statements 2018/19 pdf icon PDF 71 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 9.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members considered a report of the Chamberlain relative to the Bridge House Estates Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2019 for approval. The report was accompanied by the BDO audit report.

 

RESOLVED, that the Audit and Risk Management Committee –

1.    consider the contents of the audit management report issued by BDO at annex 2;

2.    recommend approval of the BHE Annual Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2019 to the Finance Committee; and,

3.    delegate authority to the Chamberlain, in consultation with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, for approval of any material change to the financial statements required before the signing of the audit opinion by BDO.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

10.

Internal Audit Recommendations Follow-Up pdf icon PDF 58 KB

Report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 10.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management relative to the Internal Audit Recommendations Follow-Up. The report provided Members with a status update on the implementation of high priority Internal Audit Recommendations. It was noted that when a recommendation is not implemented, this is often due to the action not being operationally viable in the given timeframe, or the action is dependent on other departments and there are delays in implementation.

 

 RESOVLED, that – the report be received an its contents noted.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 10.

11.

Annual Summary of HMICFRS Inspections and Reports pdf icon PDF 124 KB

Report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 11.

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Commissioner of the City of London Police relative to the annual summary of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) programme of inspections, published reports and responses.

 

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 11.

12.

Deep Dive - CR16: Information Security pdf icon PDF 160 KB

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 12.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Chamberlain relative to a Deep Dive of CR16: Information Security Risk. The report was further discussed in non-public session along with the non-public appendix at Agenda Item 17.

 

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 12.

13.

Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

A question was raised in respect of governance arrangements with the Audit and Risk Management Committee of the Board of Governors of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the central issue being that the Chairman should be an independent Member, and there was question amongst the Board as to whether Common Councillors can be considered independent. The Chairman requested that a joint report of the Comptroller and the Chamberlain be presented to the Committee in November 2019 so the matter could be formally discussed.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 13.

14.

Any other Business that the Chairman considers urgent

Minutes:

There was no other business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 14.

15.

Exclusion of the Public

 

MOTION: That under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

           

Item

Paragraph

16, 17, 18, 21

3

22

1&3

                                               

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 15.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that – under Section 100(A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the meeting for the following items on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part I of the Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act.

 

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 15.

16.

Non-Public Minutes of the previous meeting

To agree the non-public minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 16.

Minutes:

RESOLVED, that – the non-public minutes of the previous meeting held 16 July 2019 be agreed as a correct record.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

17.

Appendix to Deep Dive CR16

To be read in conjunction with the report of the Chamberlain at agenda item 12.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 17.

Minutes:

Members considered the non-public appendix to the Deep Dive of CR16: Information Security at Agenda Item 12.

 

RESOLVED, that –

1.    the non-public appendix be received and its contents noted; and,

2.    the risk description for CR16 be amended to reflect an emphasis on City of London preparedness.

.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

18.

Internal Audit Review - City of London Freemen's School Enabling Works Project

Report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 18.

Minutes:

Members received a report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management relative to an internal audit review of the City of London Freeman’s School Enabling Works Project.

 

RESOLVED, that – the report be received and its contents noted.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

19.

Non-Public questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There was one question.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

20.

Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded

Minutes:

There was no other business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

21.

Confidential Minutes of the previous meeting

To agree the confidential minutes of the previous meeting held 16 July 2019.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 21.

Minutes:

22.

External Audit Arrangements

Report of the Chamberlain.

 ...  view the full agenda text for item 22.

Minutes:

Members considered a confidential report of the Chamberlain relative to external audit arrangements.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 22.

23.

Confidential questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee

Minutes:

There were no questions.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 23.

24.

Any other business that the chairman considers urgent and which the committee agree should be considered during the confidential session

Minutes:

There was no other business.

 ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.