Agenda and draft minutes
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Contact: Peter Gray Email: peter.gray@hackney.gov.uk
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Minutes: 1.1 Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillor Brian Bell. |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST Minutes: 2.1 Councillor Robert Chapman declared that he was a trustee of ‘Friends of the Elderly.’ He confirmed that this was a non-pecuniary interest. |
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MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING Minutes: 3.1 The minutes of the meeting held on 18th January 2017 were agreed as a correct record. |
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EXTERNAL AUDIT OPINION PLAN 2016/17 Additional documents: Minutes: 4.1 Jennifer Townsend (KPMG) introduced the External Audit Plan 2016/17 setting out the arrangements for the audit of the Council’s annual statement of accounts and the Pension Fund accounts as required by the relevant legislation and related Accounts and Audit Regulations. Materiality for the Authority had been set at £15M for 2015/16 and £23M for the Pensions Fund. She confirmed the obligation to report uncorrected omissions or misstatements other than those which are ‘clearly trivial’ to those charged with governance and that this had been set at £750 for the Authority and the Pensions Fund. Jennifer Townsend went on to refer the Committee to the 4 significant risks at pages 2/16 and 17 of the report and emphasised the obligation to identify significant risk. She told the Committee that the planned audit fee for 2016-17 was £226,320 for the authority. This was the same audit fee as in the prior year.
4.2 Councillor Gregory asked about the procedure for the management of contracts and the response that the Council was looking at how contracts were being novated over and that this would be discussed with contractor owners. The Chair emphasised the need for an extension of VfM oversight, together with a system of robust monitoring and oversight of the capita contracts and the new joint commissioning arrangements the Clinical Commissioning Group, in terms of management and assessing risk.
RESOLVED:
To note the contents of the report from KPMG, the Council’s external auditor. |
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DIRECTORATE RISK REGISTER REVIEW - CHILDREN, ADULTS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES Minutes: 5.1 The Chair thanked Anne Canning for an excellent report. Anne Canning introduced the report updating members on the corporate risks for the Children’s Adults and Community Health Services Directorate as at March 2017. The report identified how risks within the Directorate are identified and managed throughout the year and the Department’s approach to embedding risk management. Anne Canning told the Committee that there had been some additional risks added to the register this year:
- The impact of the Education White Paper Educational Excellence Everywhere - Escalating SEND Spend - Safeguarding consideration for those pupils who are not registered at a school
The Ofsted inspection had rated the Council’s Children’s Social Care service as ‘good’. The Council’s Youth Justice were also inspected by the HMIP and there were no major areas for improvement. SEND, in which there had seen an increase in expenditure was soon to be inspected. Anne Canning referred to the fact that there were also unexpected risks in this service and that this area was high risk. The Committee noted the new red rated risk recognising the severity of the potential risks of a safeguarding failure evening to thank staff working in this area.
5.2 In relation to Adult Social Care, Anne Canning told the Committee that this service had more recently come under her management. There were risks in the provider market which was considered fragile and expensive. She emphasised that this service required a stable workforce. In response to a question from Councillor Williams on staffing she told the Committee that successful work had been carried out with Human Resources in securing post in the service. She told the Committee that the service had more agency staff than elsewhere in the organisation but that those of the right standard could apply for permanent posts within the Council. Adult Safeguarding remained as a risk on the register. The Committee noted that a Head of Adult Safeguarding had recently been appointed.
5.3 Councillor Chapman commented on the risks around the demand for SEND and whether there would be an impact on this year’s Budget. In response Anne Canning told the Committee that that bi-monthly meeting were being held to discuss and monitor high risk areas of the service to manage increases in demand against the existing resources. Ian Williams confirmed that at this point there would not be in-year cuts. The Committee noted the risks of an increase in population and the in age ranges and the very high cost pressures associated with providing care to individuals. Lobbying continued to secure increased funding.
5.4 Anne Canning told the Committee that Sexual Health remained as a high risk and this service was being recommissioned. In relation to integrated commissioning with the CCG she confirmed to the Board that that at present the risk in this area remained with the Clinical Commissioning Group. Risks were to be reported to the Integration Board. Ian Williams confirmed that a more detailed report on this matter would be report to the ... view the full minutes text for item 5. |
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DIRECTORATE RISK REGISTER REVIEW - FINANCE AND CORPORATE RESOURCES Additional documents:
Minutes: 6.1 The Committee noted the report updating on the current Finance and Corporate Resources Directorate Risk Register of the Council as at April 2017. The report identified how risks within the Council are identified and managed throughout the financial year and the Council’s approach to embedding risk management.
6.2 In response to a question from Cllr Chapman about pensions and housing scheme risks Ian Williams told the Committee that the Corporate Risk Register would be updated to incorporate these areas. In response to the chair’s question, Michael Honeysett told the Committee that owing to poor administration of the Pension Fund by employers and payroll providers there had been a rise in inaccurate data resulting in financial and reputational risks. He told the Committee that a new payroll system was being implemented and that the issue was regularly reported on to the Pensions Committee who were monitoring the situation. Further there had been a change to the Local Government Pension Scheme with the consequent requirement for more complex data. He added that the difficulties in securing accurate data would continue for a year but that a manual override had been put in place to rectify this problem.
RESOLVED:
To note the contents of the report and the attached registers and controls in place. |
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IT STRATEGY UPDATE - VERBAL Minutes: 7.1 Rob Miller updated the Committee on ICT services. He referred the Committee to the document ‘User survey findings and the Road Ahead.’ He referred to the fact that satisfaction levels were lower than expected which he considered reflected issues with the service in the past. Home workers had a more positive opinion. Feedback indicated demand for a more personal service and positive work was being carried out around this. New things were being explored, including automatic intelligence. In response to a question from Councillor Chapman he told the Committee that a lot of groundwork had been carried out on information data including on information sharing, retention and how it is used to inform policy. Hackney now had a modern desktop computing service which was accessible from any desk and home and personal PCs. He reported that teams were spending time with residents to target areas for improvement. Rob miller emphasised that the work to deliver digital services for Hackney would be accelerated. In response to a question from Councillor Williams around risks of for instance robotics, Rob Miller confirmed that such risks were to be explored. Experience and lessons learned at other local authorities would be looked at.
7.2 Cllr Gregory said that there had been good work in the Housing Department. She considered that in relation to Housing Repairs there was a need for a project management tracking system to be in place.
RESOVED:
To note the update on the IT strategy. |
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TREASURY MANAGEMENT UPDATE REPORT Minutes: 8.1 The Committee noted the fourth of the treasury relating to the financial year 2016/17 for the Audit Committee, setting out the background for treasury management activity from January 2017 to March 2017 and the action takne during this period.
RESOLVED:
To note the report. |
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AUDIT AND ANTI-FRAUD QUARTERLY REPORT Additional documents: Minutes: 9.1 Tracy Barnett introduced the report on the performance of the Audit & Anti-Fraud Service up to the end of March 2017 the areas of work undertaken, and the information on current developments in Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud as well as statistical information about the work of the investigation team. Tracy Barnett referred the Committee to the fact that many of the KPIs had improved including that the percentage of ‘High’ level recommendations implemented within timeframe had now reached 98%. The Committee congratulated Tracy for these improvements.
9.2 The Committee noted that Tracy Barnett was leaving the Council and that this was to be her last meeting. The Committee thanked Tracy for all her hard work at the Council. Tracy told the Committee that she had enjoyed her time at the Council and thanked the Committee for its support to her. A new Head of Audit would start at the Council on 22 May and Michael Sheffield would take over her role.
RESOLVED:
To note the Audit and Anti fraud’s progress report and performance to March 2017. |
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REVIEW OF WHISTLEBLOWING Minutes: 10.1 Michael Sheffield introduced the report summarising the Council’s corporate arrangements for whistleblowing and providing members with an update on the cases received in 2016/17. It was noted that there were whistleblowing arrangements for members of the public as well as members of staff. The Chair emphasised the need for increased publicity for these arrangements.
RESOLVED:
To note the report. |
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INTERNAL AUDIT ANNUAL PLAN Additional documents: Minutes: 11.1 Tracy Barnett introduced the report asked the Committee to approve the proposed Internal Audit Annual Plan at the appendix to the report. The report contained the key performance measures for 2017/18
RESOLVED:
To approve the proposed internal Audit Annual Plan which included the key performance measures 2017/18. |
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PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW Minutes: 12.1 The Committee considered the draft set of performance indicators that are to be reviewed by the Audit Committee on a regular basis as part of the Committee’s overview of the Council’s health.
RESOLVED:
(1) To note the current capital monitoring arrangements and arrangements for reporting to the Committee on a regular basis in the future.
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ANNUAL REPORT OF AUDIT COMMITTEE 2016/17 Additional documents: Minutes: 13.1 Tracy Barnett introduced the report summarising the key activities and achievements in 2016/17that demonstrate how the Committee has fulfilled its role effectively and to measure consistency with the guidance issued by the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards and other statutory requirements. The report had been noted by Council at its meeting on a March 2017.
RESOLVED:
To note the report. |
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WORK PROGRAMME 2017/18 Minutes: 14.1 Tracy Barnett introduced the report outlining the Committee’s work programme for 2017/18.
RESOLVED:
To note the report. |
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS THAT IN THE OPTION OF OF THE CHAIR IS URGENT Minutes: 15.1 There was no any other business. |