| Number | Item |
| | Minutes for this Meeting  |
| | Agenda Front Sheet |
| | Agenda Papers |
| 1. | Apologies/Substitutes |
| 2. | Declarations of Interest |
| 3. | Minutes – To approve the Minutes of the Meeting of the Cabinet held on the 5th March 2013 |
| 4. | Part I – For Decision |
| | The report is provided in order to allow the Audit Committee to consider the work of the Internal Audit Team over the financial year 2012/13 and the opinion of the Head of Audit Partnership in relation to the Council’s control environment in the context of the Annual Governance Statement.The Audit Committee must decide whether the outcomes of the Internal Audit work and the other matters referred to in this report provide evidence of a substantial level of internal control within the Authority which supports the findings and conclusions shown in the Annual Governance Statement for 2012/13.The Audit Committee must decide whether the matters referred to in the report provide evidence of an effective internal audit. |
| | Internal Audit Annual Report 2012/13 |
| 5. | This report sets out the Annual report of the Audit Committee for 2012/2013 |
| | Annual Report of the Audit Committee 2012/13 |
| 6. | Each year the council must produce and approve an Annual Governance Statement (AGS). AGS are designed to summarise for members and residents the council’s approach to governance and show how the council fulfils the principles for good corporate governance in the public sector. The AGS needs to draw conclusions based on evidence throughout the past year about the effectiveness of the council’s arrangements. The AGS must be published alongside the council’s formal audited financial statements though need not be agreed at the same time. The full financial statement and the auditor’s opinion will be considered by the committee in September. It is after that when the AGS is published along with the accounts. This year’s AGS builds on previous statements providing updated information where needed. However the format this year is changed to provide greater use of diagrams and bullet points to aid understanding and highlight key points. Its presentation and content take account of proper practice and guidance and is designed this year to inject more of an ‘Ashford BC’ flavour including for the first time an introduction from the Leader.Our governance arrangements are well-developed and pervade all that we do in a variety of forms but they evolve. Its various components are subject to ongoing development with principal developments summarised in the AGS. Work to review significant governance issues highlighted last year progressed well. Following input from the Leader and others there are further developments needed and these are highlighted at the end of the draft.In conclusion governance arrangements remain appropriate effective and adaptive to change as circumstances dictate. |
| | Approval of Annual Governance Statement 2012/13 |
| 7. | At the last formal meeting of the Committee in March members heard from our external auditors (Grant Thornton) of two national reports they had issued that were of particular relevance and interest to the committee and the council. These were subsequently considered at an informal meeting at the end of April. Summaries of the reports and the conclusions from the informal meeting are now reported. The committee is being asked to endorse a number of actions designed to further evolve both the committee’s role in governance and the council’s arrangements more generally. |
| | Governance and Risk – Grant Thornton’s National Research Reports |
| 8. | The Audit Committee has the governance responsibility to oversee risk management and to ensure the council’s approach is robust so risks to it achieving important objectives are understood evaluated and that suitable mitigation plans are in place.At the informal meeting in April members considered our external auditor’s national research findings on governance and risk management and in particular issues about the role of audit committees. One of members’ conclusions was the Audit Committee should more routinely have oversight of individual risks. Workforce planning is one of our strategic risks and this may seem to provide an opportunity to discuss its background and the mitigation plan. The Head of Personnel and Development will be present for this item. |
| | Strategic Risk Review – Effective Workforce Planning |
| 9. | Part II – Monitoring/Information Items |
| | Government in May introduced its Local Audit and Accountability Bill that has now had its second reading in the House of Lords. A summary of the Bill from the Local Government Association including its own views on behalf of local government LGA members is attached. Among other things the Bill will bring about final closedown of the Audit Commission and introduce the requirement that councils must then procure their own external audit including the requirement for at least an independent (non-elected panel) to make recommendations on this to the council. The Bill also makes other provisions that tighten the council tax referendum principles provide the Secretary of State with an ability to determine if a council’s publicity is contravening a publicity code (the Secretary of State is particularly concerned about some councils’ competing with local newspapers). |
| | Local Audit and Public Accountability Bill |
| 10. | Grant Thornton’s Audit Committee Update |
| 11. | Report Tracker and Future Meetings |