Venue: Committee Rooms, 2nd Floor, West Wing, Guildhall
Contact: Julie Mayer
tel. no.: 020 7332 1410
Email: julie.mayer@cityoflondon.gov.uk
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Apologies Minutes: Apologies were received from Deputy Dr Martin Dudley, Deputy Roger Chadwick and Hugh Morris.
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Members' Declarations under the Code of Conduct in respect of items on the Agenda Minutes: There were no declarations.
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To approve the public minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2016. Minutes: The minutes of the meeting held on 13 September 2016 were approved.
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Outstanding Actions of the Committee PDF 69 KB Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: The Committee received its’ Outstanding Actions list, which would be discharged during the course of this agenda.
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Committee Work Programme PDF 134 KB Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: The Committee received its’ Outstanding Actions list and noted an amendment in that the External Audit Plans for Moore Stephens would be received in February 2017 and not May 2017.
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Deep Dive Risk Review:CR02 - Loss of Business Support for the City PDF 87 KB Report of the Director of Economic Development. Additional documents: Minutes: resolved, That - Under Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act.
The Committee received a report of the Director of Economic Development.
After this item, the Committee moved back into public session.
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City of London Corporation - Ofsted Reports PDF 95 KB Reports of the Director of Community and Children’s Services. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee received a set of reports of the Director of Community and Children’s Services in respect of the recent Ofsted Inspections. Members were very pleased to note that Children’s Services had been judged as ‘Good’ with a number of ‘Outstanding’ features; the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board had been rated ‘Outstanding’ and the Adult Skills and Education Service had been rated as ‘Good’.
The Director was also pleased to advised that only 6 out of 110 local authorities had received ‘Outstanding’ judgements in leadership, management and governance; the Board’s rating as ‘Outstanding’ had been the only one in the UK and Adult Skills had been rated in the top 30% of London local authorities. Whilst officers would continue to strive to achieve outstanding ratings across the board, Members noted that the only authorities who had received ‘Outstanding’ for Adult Skills and Education Services were looking after other authorities as well as their own. Members noted there had been 6 recommendations and an action plan had been produced.
RESOLVED, that - the Ofsted ratings for the City of London’s Children and Adult Skills and Education Services and the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Board be noted.
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HMIC Inspection Update PDF 167 KB Report of the Commissioner, City of London Police. Minutes: The Committee received a report of the Commissioner, City of London Police, which provided an overview of the City of London Police’s response to the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary’s continuing programme of inspections and published reports. It also provided assurance that the Force was addressing the recommendations from reports.
During the discussion, the following points were noted:
RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.
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Report of the Chamberlain.
Members are asked to note please that Moore Stephens ‘Report to those Charged with Governance’ appears at Annex 3 of the City’s Cash Report and Annex 5 of the Bridge House Estates Report. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain and the External Auditors in respect of the Non-Local Authority Statements for 2015-16.
Members were reminded that 2 briefing sessions had been arranged for all Members of the Court and the notes from these sessions had been circulated to Members of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. The Deputy Chamberlain highlighted the points raised before handing over to the External Auditor.
The External Auditor was pleased to advise that he would be providing an unqualified opinion on all 30 sets of the non-local authority accounts, with some minor recommendations for which an action plan had been produced.
During the discussion and some further questions on the accounts, the following points were noted:
RESOLVED, that :
1. The contents of Moore Stephens LLP’s Audit Management Report be noted.
2. The Finance Committee be recommended to approve the City’s Cash Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2016.
3. The Finance Committee be recommend to approve the Annual Reports and Financial Statements for Bridge House Estates, City’s Cash Trust Funds and the Sundry Trust Funds for the year ended |
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City Fund and Pension Funds Financial Statements Action Plan PDF 79 KB Report of the Chamberlain. Additional documents: Minutes: Members received a report of the Chamberlain in respect of the changes to the City Fund Balance sheet as at 31 March 2016 and in response to Members’ requests at the last meeting.
RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.
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Risk Management Update PDF 303 KB Report of the Chamberlain. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee considered a report of the Chamberlain, which provided an update on the Corporate and Top Red Departmental Risk registers following the review by the Chief Officer Risk Management Group (CORMG) on 27 September 2016 and Summit Group on 20 October 2016.
In considering this report, Members were asked whether they would like to continue to receive the new reports at appendices 2 and 3; ‘Corporate Risk and Actions Progress’ and ‘Top Red Departmental Risk and Actions Progress’, as well as the Corporate Risk Register. Whilst welcoming the new appendices for being helpful in providing further assurance, Members agreed that it would be useful to receive them twice yearly and not at every meeting.
RESOLVED, that –
1. The changes to the Corporate and Top Red Departmental Risk Registers be noted.
2. The Corporate Risk and Actions Progress and Top Red Departmental Risk and Actions Progress report, be presented to the Committee on a bi-annual basis in order to provide Members with additional assurance.
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External Review of Risk Management PDF 298 KB Report of the Chamberlain. Additional documents: Minutes: The Committee received a report of the Chamberlain, which outlined the key findings in respect of an external review of Risk Management in the City of London Corporation (CoLC). Members commended an interesting report and agreed with the 6 areas for potential improvement identified in the health check report.
The Consultant was invited to present the key findings as follows:
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Internal Audit Recommendations Follow up PDF 94 KB Report of the Head of Audit and Risk Management. Additional documents:
Minutes: The Committee received a report of the Head of Internal Audit and Risk Management which provided an update on the outcome of a recent follow-up exercise, which had focussed on red and amber priority recommendations due for implementation by 30th September 2016.
In respect of a red report on the Police’s Uniform Management Services, the Assistant Commissioner advised that the stock take and audit were now complete and a meeting with procurement had been planned for later today. The Assistant Commissioner advised that a new contract would be in place by April 2017 but, due to staff shortages, it had not been possible to action this quicker.
In response to some further queries raised by the Police Performance and Resource Management Sub Committee, Members noted that the issues in respect of seized cash and goods had been resolved and there would be an update on IT and disaster recovery in the next Internal Audit Update report.
In respect of slippage of implementation of recommendations by agreed target dates, the Chairman reiterated and Members agreed that all slippages required a robust explanation and, should the slippage continue, the responsible Chief Officer would be accountable to the Audit and Risk Management Committee.
RESOLVED, that – the report be noted.
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Results of 2016 Survey of Committee Members PDF 203 KB Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of the latest survey of Members of the Audit and Risk Management Committee. Following further discussions, a full set of responses to Member’s comments will be presented at the next meeting. That report will also respond to a question raised at a previous meeting in respect of the frequency of the surveys.
Members noted a suggestion that they be invited to comment on the effectiveness of the Committee on a regular basis and not just wait for survey invitations. It was suggested that an induction in Audit and Risk Management be offered to all Members, post the 2017 Elections. In respect of term limits for Common Council Members on this Committee, given the nature of the work of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, Members agreed that this be considered when the Committee’s Terms of Reference were due for review.
RESOLVED, that:
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Appointment of External Members PDF 114 KB Report of the Town Clerk. Minutes: The three External Members left the room when this report was discussed and the decision taken
The Committee considered a report of the Town Clerk in respect of the re-appointment of one of the External Members, possibly for a further term. Mr Ludlam had consented to this report being considered in public and his full CV had been emailed to Members and laid around the tables.
Members strongly agreed that Mr Ludlam was an extremely valued External Member, who also served on the Police Performance and Resource Management Sub Committee. Members were very pleased that Mr Ludlam was keen to serve for a third term and noted that this was within the UK Corporate Governance Code (Guidance on Audit Committees). Members were also mindful of the terms of the other External Members, who were equally valued and would therefore consider similar requests to serve for a third term.
In the Interim, the Town Clerk would prepare for the longer term appointment of new External Members and follow the good practice of other City of London Committees, which also employ External Members; i.e. the introduction of a Nominations Sub Committee and a portfolio of potential External Members.
RESOLVED, That – the Court of Common Council be recommended to approve the appointment of Mr Kenneth Ludlam, for a third term of three years, as an External Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee, with that term expiring in 2020.
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Questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee Minutes: There were no questions. |
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Any other Business that the Chairman considers urgent Minutes: There were no items. |
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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 Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act. Minutes: resolved, THAT – Under Section 100(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the following item on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3, Part 1 of Schedule 12a of the Local Government Act
Item no 21 para 3
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Non-Public questions on matters relating to the work of the Committee Minutes: There were no questions.
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Any Other Business that the Chairman considers urgent and which the Committee agree should be considered whilst the public are excluded Minutes: The Committee considered 1 item whilst the public were excluded.
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